Neon Genesis Evangelion: Senshi no Michi
by WanderingStudent
Summary: Evangelion/Street Fighter crossover. Taken from their rural home and flung back into a world of darkness and deception, young Ansatsuken fighters Shinji and Asuka must struggle to preserve both their lives, and their fighting spirits, in the face of new enemies from both Heaven and Hell. LATEST - E07P1 - Asuka and Shinji deal with the repercussions of the battle with Ramiel.
1. Episode 1 - Alpha - Part 1

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX. _

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

**CREDITS: 1/1**

**PRESS START BUTTON**

* * *

If there was one word that could accurately describe Misato Katsuragi's mood at the moment, it would be exasperated.

The woman drove with an almost hateful gaze, the bags under her eyes evidence of fatigue, and lack of a good night's sleep. Eyes flitting about and scanning the roads in front of her, Misato held back a curse as a small form – some kind of wild animal – darted across the dirt road in front of her.

She was currently navigating a large forest in Wakayama Prefecture, the heavily forested surroundings making it difficult to keep any sense of direction in the multitude of narrow, twisted roads.

As her eyes fluttered shut, and stayed so for a second – a second too long when one was at the wheel – Misato realised she needed to pull over and get herself together. The last thing she needed was to crash into some tree and have spent well over twelve hours driving amount all to nothing.

As the car's engine stopped in time with Misato removing the keys from the ignition, she collapsed back in her seat with a heavy sigh. Already, she could feel sleep taking over, and the last thing that passed through her mind was the bizarre order she'd received from none other than Commander Ikari himself.

* * *

_Fourteen hours earlier._

* * *

Stepping onto the main bridge, her heels clacking against the metal floor, Misato scanned her surroundings – the ever present team of Makoto, Aoba, and Maya present just ahead of her, their heads practically buried in their monitors as the team juggled phone calls and constant messages from other sections of the NERV branch.

_"-Request for more flexi-alloy for Unit-02's calve-"_

_"-Maam, you are aware of NERV regulations, I can't just-"_

_"-For the last time, this is not the Project-E hub. You'll need to redirect to-"_

"Admiring your stalwart crew?"

The old, but somewhat mirthful voice from behind caught Misato's attention, and she spun to face Kozo Fuyutsuki.

While age had lined his face, and lowered his posture the slightest inch, there was still an ever-present gleam in the man's eye, hinting at a desire to understand whatever could be understood, but it was tempered – as if that same gleam had been darkened some years ago.

Misato could empathise – everyone around her had endured the Second Impact.

Quickly moving into a salute, which was dropped a second after Fuyutsuki gestured tiredly with his hand to stop it, Misato stepped over to the Vice Commander.

"Vice Commander." Misato's tone was professional, and somewhat cold, despite the man's attempts at alleviating any pretence of superiority between them.

"Captain. I trust you've found our facilities and staff satisfactory, in the two weeks you've been here?" Fuyutsuki cocked one eyebrow slightly, in subdued interest.

Misato nodded firmly in reply, her tone starting to defrost somewhat. "Very much so, sir. Again, thank you for the recommendation."

The vice commander simply shook his head and smiled. "It was no trouble. Your talents were recognised, and we need you here, in Tokyo-3. No doubt you'll prove yourself many times over here. But for now, the Commander would like to see you, as soon as possible."

At that, Misato's brow furrowed slightly, but she said nothing, instead bowing slightly, then moving away to the nearest set of stairs which would lead away from the bridge, and deeper into NERV.

She had only seen NERV's so called "Bastard King" a select few times, but every time, she found another reason to regret being called to his attention.

His office was cavernous, his gaze unflinching and hidden behind those really, _really_ weird glasses, and his voice could raise the hairs on the back of a skeleton's neck.

While she had only needed to listen to a few snippets of conversation in the canteen to get a general impression of what NERV thought of Commander Ikari – where she had heard the previously mentioned nickname slung around like a swear from a schoolchild – she hadn't found much reason to disprove what she'd heard.

As the Captain advanced down the corridor, a familiar figure appeared in front of her, turning a corner and heading towards her.

Ritsuko Akagi, head of Project E, was a close friend. The two went back to college, but despite the fact that they had an otherwise amiable and friendly relationship, it was in the workplace that her friend became somewhat professional to a fault – focused entirely on her work.

Whilst Misato found that dedication admirable, Ritsuko's resulting grating tones were not so prestigious in her book.

The doctor merely stopped for a brief moment to adjust her collar, then moved on, the only sign that she had acknowledged Misato a brief nod and grunt. Rolling her eyes after Ritsuko had passed, Misato pressed on, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes as she approached the double doors that led to the office of Commander Ikari.

The captain hesitated, and then rapped the door three times.

"Come."

The commander's reply was barely audible, but even then, Misato could hear the powerful timbre of his voice, though restrained.

She entered with far more hesitation than she would admit to herself, pushing the surprisingly heavy doors open, passing into the lair of Commander Ikari.

The décor was distracting – the massive murals and symbols etched onto the floors and ceiling drew her attention for a brief moment, before she caught herself staring and focused on the only human presence in the room.

Gendo Ikari examined the woman before him with a clinical gaze, as one might eye a prime rib just before leaning in to tear it apart. And those glasses, Misato noted, were just as weird as she remembered.

"Captain Katsuragi. I trust you are settling in?"

His voice shattered the awkward silence that had begun to permeate the expansive office, and Misato couldn't help but flinch, before she replied.

"Yes, sir. I can only offer my thanks for how well you and NERV have provided for me." She bowed low, and held the bow until Gendo made a small grunt of supplication.

"Despite your unfamiliarity with the region, a matter has come up that requires both your attention and discretion." The commander began, leaning further over the desk, hands folded and hiding any discernable expression.

Misato's brow furrowed slightly, but she remained impassive and ramrod straight, deciding that the last thing she needed to do was get grouchy when the commander finally had an important task for her. A solid week of administrative paperwork and similar had left a bitter taste in the Captain's mouth.

"NERV has assets in Wakayama that need to be retrieved as soon as possible. To be specific, two VIPs. They are of the highest importance."

Misato's mind raced with the possibilities – VIPs? Who could they possibly be? Scientists, with priceless research intended for Project-E? Or perhaps they were simple political assets, talking heads of little use save to help NERV keep face.

The commander slid two previously unnoticed manila folders across his desk, making the smallest motion of his hand to beckon the captain over.

Approaching, Misato took both folders from the desk, and with a small measure of interest and anticipation, she opened the first smoothly. In the low light of the office, it was somewhat difficult to read, but the daylight that shone through the sizable windows lining the nearby wall helped somewhat.

The first thing that drew her attention was a picture – labelled with a timestamp that indicated the photo was two years old. A copper-haired girl, of twelve or eleven years stared out at Misato with unblinking, sapphire eyes, her mouth set in a tight line despite the softness of her youthful features.

Frowning, Misato read on, eyes flicking over the barebones information.

_**NAME: SOHRYU, ASUKA LANGLEY**_

_**AGE: 13**_

_**D.O.B: 12/04/2001**_

_**NATIONALITY: AMERICAN**_

_**DESIGNATED: SECOND CHILD**_

The phrase 'Second Child' immediately set off alarm bells inside Misato's skull.

She was going to retrieve Eva pilots? But if so, why was the commander only calling this matter to her attention? Why not to a crew of Section-2 men and an armoured transport at the very least? She must have been frowning in confusion, because the Commander picked up on it.

"I assume you wonder why you are being notified, of all people? The reason is, as I said before, discretion. An armoured transport will be sent to the other side of Japan, with heavy escort, to draw attention away from you and your objectives."

The commander's tone was somewhat smug – the kind of tone one had when they knew exactly what they were doing, and exactly what was going to happen. Gendo Ikari had always had a reputation as a chessmaster of men – and now Misato was beginning to see proof of that. She moved to the next folder.

The boy in the picture, it was clear, had a gentle countenance about him. While Asuka Sohryu stared ahead with a challenging gaze, this boy had a softer expression, blue eyes staring ahead, partially hidden by the fringe of his dark brown hair.

_**NAME: IKARI, SHINJI**_

_**AGE: 14**_

_**D.O.B: 06/06/2001**_

_**NATIONALITY: JAPANESE**_

_**DESIGNATED: THIRD CHILD**_

This time, it was the name that drew Misato's eye. Was it possible that the commander's very son was selected as a pilot? Truth be told, the picture didn't give the same impression that Asuka's did, but Misato didn't comment on the identity of the Third Child.

After sifting through the second folder for a moment, she found a map, which indicated the location – it was a seven hour drive, at least, not accounting for traffic or any other circumstance. Wincing minutely, she closed the folders, and tucked them under her arm. Gendo spoke again, quieter and less powerful.

"You will leave as soon as possible." He spoke, blunt, and Misato nodded stiffly, before bowing.

When she was somewhat sure that she had been given silent permission to leave, she moved out of the office, closing the doors behind her.

Misato took the opportunity to instantly lean against the wall for support, blowing out a puff of air and taking the folders out from under her arm to give them another brief look. Gazing at the images of the two children, she allowed herself to grimace, her thoughts dark.

_To think, we're going to be putting these children into those mechanical monsters? Part of me doesn't want to go, and not just because of the drive time. But if it's to destroy the Angels…to protect our race, then there's no choice whatsoever. At least for me._

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Slowly blinking awake, Misato let out a loud yawn, and sat back up in the car, having slumped somewhat in her seat.

Through the windshield, she saw that the sun had moved lower, and the Captain glanced at her watch – it was well into the afternoon now, and she winced – she wasn't a fan of getting reprimanded for taking unnecessarily long to bring the Pilots back to Tokyo-3.

Driving on, Misato followed the map to the best of her ability, biting her lip in concentration. More than once, she let out an exasperated curse and turned the car around, realising she had followed the wrong, miniscule path, as opposed to another.

Thankfully, her perseverance seemed to be finally paying off, and she began wheeling around narrow mountain roads, and then across a large plain, both indicated on the map as notable landmarks. Soon, Misato was driving across earthen and sandy paths, and as she turned a corner, she finally spied some sign of civilisation – and her objective.

Some ways up from the path she drove on, on a higher section of land, sat what appeared to be a modestly large house, of classical design.

As Misato drove closer, more details became apparent – what appeared to be an outdoor exercise area, with weights and – training dummies, Misato noted, with some surprise. More than a few trees had heavy cords of rope wrapped around sections of their trunk, and appeared heavily weathered. The smaller path leading up to the house was lined with ornamental stone torches, all unlit.

As she killed the ignition on the car, and unbuckled her seatbelt, she glanced back up at the house, and saw a man – of considerable age and uninspiring stature, possibly in his late fifties or early sixties, dressed in a drab robe.

Before Misato could signal to him or get out of her car, he had disappeared into the house, and she sighed, before opening the door and swinging her legs out. The sandy ground was a little unsteady, and she berated herself for choosing boots with more prominent heels.

Walking up the path to the house, with the two folders still tucked under her arm, Misato began to wonder what exactly she'd find.

Boots rapping against the hardwood of the porch, she realised there was no doorbell to ring, or doors that were hard enough to be knocked – only the two sliding panel doors in front of her.

Before she could do anything, the two doors were quickly and firmly slid apart, and Misato stepped back, a little surprised.

In front of her stood a man, different than the one before – he was tall, at least six feet, and had a muscular build. His hair, raven black, but streaked with some grey, was pulled back into a ponytail and secured with an ornamental wooden bead. His features were sharp, and the beginnings of age were showing through the odd line around the eyes, and the flecks of grey in his closely cut beard. However, what caught Misato's eye was his manner of dress.

The man wore a dark blue gi, belted at the waist. The top portion was sleeveless, and around his wrists and forearms, as well as his shins, were white wrappings.

His eyes were older than he was, and the gaze of them almost stung the Captain.

Stepping back once more, she lowered herself into a bow, which the man returned.

"I take it you are from NERV?" The man said, his voice firm and composed. Misato nodded. His formerly rigid stance seemed to slacken for a brief moment, his eyes aimed at the floor, before they looked back up.

"I am Gouken."

* * *

**After a long while, I'm back. Expect a consistent update schedule - each 'episode' will be broken into four 2000-2500 word segments, and posted as quickly as possible. I finally have a definite idea of what I want to write - something that I lacked whenever I tried to write my previous crossovers. Hopefully this will go over well with you guys!**


	2. Episode 1 - Alpha - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Gouken had always known, at the back of his mind, that this day would come.

It was inevitable, and he had taken the two children he now called his own with the knowledge that they would, one day, be taken away.

However, even foresight didn't prepare him for this. This feeling of…was bereft the word?

This feeling, it made a nest in his stomach, hissing up at him and threatening to mar the master's expression with anger that the woman in front of him didn't deserve. However, this was a problem quickly dealt with – simple detachment was easy enough for him, despite the circumstances.

* * *

The man – or Gouken, as Misato supposed – had greeted her with a somewhat cold manner, something akin to resentment in his eyes for a few brief moments, and mouth in a tight line. However, before anything else could happen, his mood had lifted slightly – his face calmer.

Stepping to the side, Gouken ushered the Captain into the house with a small movement of his hand.

The room she looked into was some kind of family room – not too large, not too small - cozy, but clean and ordered, decorated with the odd ink painting here and there, and a few pots.

At the back of the room, another set of doors lay slightly open, presumably leading to the rest of the house. Other than that, there was a small square table in the centre, on which what appeared to be a journal and pen. Judging from how the ink shone slightly, it had only just been written in.

Removing her boots, Misato walked onto the cool hardwood floor, and when prompted by Gouken, knelt at the left of the table, while he walked over to the opposing side, and knelt down across from her, closing over the journal. Misato had very little idea of what to say, or do – she cursed the Commander's policy of…what had Fuyutsuki called it?

Compartmentalisation. Or, in his words, nobody telling any secrets because nobody knew them.

With little else to fall back on, Misato promptly disregarded regulations, and bowed slightly. "Thank you for admitting me. I'm Captain Misato Katsuragi, of NERV." Looking back up at the man, she made sure to keep her expression pleasant – not a grin, but the inklings of a smile.

She could only hope it made her seem approachable, and would help to soothe the mood.

Thankfully, it seemed to do the job, and Gouken bowed in return, his eyes warming with surprise and approval.

"Captain." He said, tone less rigid than before. "I must admit, when NERV contacted me and told me that they were coming to collect the children," Misato watched as the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, "I had visions of jackbooted thugs and armoured carriers. It is a pleasant surprise to see they sent someone well-mannered and personable."

Finally, she was getting somewhere. Internally, she breathed out a sigh of relief, and simply allowed her smile to widen in response to the man. "You're too kind. In all honesty I had no idea of this until twelve hours ago – I'm not sure how I should go about this."

In reply, Gouken simply shook his head, and smiled, an affable expression on his face. "You are not the only one. The children should be back soon – their afternoon routine should be over now, and they will arrive in a few minutes."

Misato couldn't help but notice those words again – the children – and the warmth of voice that accompanied them. Now that this Gouken wasn't trying to stare her down – something he would have succeeded in, she conceded – he made no secret of the fact of his fondness for the two she was here to collect.

Again, almost in response, her stomach clenched.

_I'm taking them away from what must be a warm, loving home, and putting them into cybernetic death machines. Fuck this job. Even though he's smiling, he must be snarling on the inside. He has to be – and I deserve it._

"Excuse me?"

Gouken's questioning tone snapped Misato out of her reverie, and she flinched slightly, before relaxing again.

"My apologies, I was distracted for a brief moment, forgive me." She said, tone remorseful, but Gouken simply shook his head again.

"No need to be concerned. I have always understood that this day would come." Gouken's words were slow and warm. "But it is…difficult, now that the time has arrived. That being said, if everyone at NERV is as proper as you are, I will sleep easy."

Misato chuckled slightly in response, her cheeks reddening slightly. _My, aren't you the charmer. Truth be told, if everyone at NERV was like me, nothing would get done…but I'd take Misato 2 over Commander Ikari any day._

"Again, you're flattering me…but thank you." Misato bowed slightly once more. She was about to speak again, but she caught the slightest whisper, the slightest sound of chatter, and it was steadily approaching, increasing in volume. Looking over at Gouken, she watched as he rose to his feet, and decided to do the same.

The two watched the door for a few more seconds, until the shadows of two figures were visible through the lighter and thinner panels of the doors. A loud and hearty, but definitely female laugh suddenly echoed from the other side of the doors, and Misato quirked one eyebrow.

The doors slid apart slowly, and Misato watched in interest.

The first one to enter was the girl – Asuka, Misato remembered – head still turned to her side, in conversation with her companion.

Her long copper hair was tied back, save for a small, shaggy fringe, into a single ponytail with a red ribbon, the hair reaching mid-back. The girl was dressed in a red sleeveless gi, and judging from the visible fraying, it had seen some wear and tear. Beneath the upper portion of the gi, could be seen a black sports bra. However, it wasn't the flaring red gi, or the yellow padded gloves that stood out most, it was the muscle.

The girl's arms were extremely well defined – while they weren't huge and unnatural, there was definite muscle. It was somewhat jarring, though, seeing it on one so young. The same held true for her companion, who slipped in beside her.

This was the boy – the Commander's son – Shinji Ikari. Dressed in a white gi, which seemed even more frayed than the girl's, a white headband, and red gloves, he too was visibly strong, the lines of his pectorals visible underneath the gi.

Truth be told, it might have been Misato's imagination, but the girl – Asuka, Misato reminded herself once again – seemed to have slightly more muscle than Shinji. Of course, her musings ground to a halt when she realised she was staring at the two, and it was only the fierce and inquisitive stare from the girl that forced Misato to glance back at Gouken.

To contrast, Shinji seemed shyer – she'd expected as much when she'd first looked at his photo. He was standing behind Asuka, eyes moving between Gouken and Misato questioningly.

"Shinji, Asuka. This is Captain Katsuragi – from NERV." Gouken gestured to Misato, who turned back to the two, and bowed slightly. When she straightened up, she watched as Shinji returned the bow with an even lower one, as did Asuka – but her bow was both shorter, and higher than the boy's.

The girl stared at the Captain with barely disguised fear and resentment, her sapphire orbs focused on Misato's brown. This didn't go unnoticed – Shinji shifted slightly, his expression uncomfortable.

Finally, Gouken motioned for the two to kneel at the front of the table, and they did so, Asuka's gaze finally leaving the Captain.

"I trust the two of you have already packed?" He asked, and the two nodded. He then turned to Misato, elaborating. "We received notice a week ago that NERV would be coming. We just didn't have an exact date." Gouken paused for a moment, before continuing.

"I take it you need to leave as soon as possible?"

Misato could only nod, reluctantly. It was clear that even though Gouken had proved amiable about this entire mess, Asuka was clearly not. If Misato was going to be calling the shots in battle, the last thing she needed was an Eva Pilot with an attitude.

Hopefully she could smooth things over with her as soon as they settled down in Tokyo-3.

"Well…" Gouken sighed, then turned to his two charges. "Go get changed, grab your things, and wait outside for me. I'll send you off." His voice was tired, resigned.

Slowly, the two stood back up, still silent. Asuka looked up towards the door at the other end of the room, and strode towards it. She slid the doors open firmly, and disappeared into the corridor, bare feet slapping against the hardwood. However, Shinji lingered.

He looked towards Gouken, eyes shining with questions, with apprehension. His master simply nodded, and then the boy looked towards Misato. She could only offer a small, reassuring smile, one that the boy tried to replicate before he eventually followed in pursuit of his companion.

Once the sound of bare feet on wood had disappeared, Gouken let out a long, heavy sigh, his posture slumping. Misato stared down at the table for a moment, before finally speaking her mind.

"I am sorry. Really, I'm so, so sorry."

Gouken shook his head, and replied. "It's not your fault. Don't let it weigh upon you."

Misato looked away for a moment, towards the corridor where the two children had disappeared to. The sound of Gouken's voice drew her attention again, and when she looked back she was surprised at the level of intensity – but also fear – in the master's eyes.

When he spoke, it was quiet, and not as firm as it usually was.

"Just promise me one thing, Captain. Whatever you're doing in Tokyo-3, whatever happens – promise me you'll protect them. _Promise me_."

Misato's blood turned to ice in her veins, and guilt made home in her stomach.

_He doesn't know what NERV is planning to…what's going to happen to the children…_

Almost instantly, Misato shuffled back, and suddenly moved her upper body downwards, in a steep bow. As her nose brushed the floor, and her eyes grew hot, she replied.

"I promise you – I swear I'll protect them."

Misato couldn't bear to rise from the bow – but she knew that no matter how long she held it, it still wouldn't be apologetic enough, meant nothing compared to what the children were going to endure.

When she finally rose once again, Gouken had vanished. Looking down at the table for a moment, Misato scrubbed at her eyes, cursed Gendo Ikari's name, and then stood up, moving to retrieve her boots.

* * *

When the two children returned, they stood outside the entrance to the house dutifully. Asuka stood tall, straight, while Shinji made no secret of his downcast nature, gaze directed at the ground as they waited.

Asuka was dressed in a red sleeveless sweatshirt, and a billowing black skirt that fell to her knees, along with grey sandals. She still wore her yellow gloves.

Shinji, on the other hand, had removed his gloves, his headband, and dressed somewhat blandly – a plain white t-shirt, pulled taut over his chest, with blue jeans and sneakers that had been once white, but were now too scuffed and worn to be called anything other than grey.

Both had duffel bags filled to bursting at their feet, and occasionally, the two would exchange glances. Shinji's eyes were wide, and fearful, while Asuka's seemed to be simply resigned, and narrowed.

The doors slid open again, and both Gouken and Misato walked out. The woman turned back to the man for a moment, and nodded, before she began to walk back to her car. As she moved away, Gouken let out a breath, then focused on the two children before him. When Gouken finally broke the silence, his voice was soft, yet like thunder.

"Asuka."

As if it were possible, Asuka's posture somehow became straighter, and her eyes locked with her sensei's. Gouken beckoned her to come closer, and when the two were only a few inches apart, they simply looked at each other.

It was Asuka who looked down first, then suddenly moved forward, wrapping her arms around Gouken's frame. Contrary to her previously controlled and stiff movements, this was a sharp difference – it was a desperate hug, and the girl practically clung to Gouken like a drowning man to a piece of driftwood.

Burying her face in Gouken's wide chest, Asuka spoke, words quiet and muffled, though discernable to the man.

"Gouken-sensei…thank you. For everything. I can't even begin to…"

Her voice caught, and Gouken's face softened, before one of his hands began to move through Asuka's hair, slow and reassuring. He eased her away from him, and when she was at arms distance, he rested his hands on her shoulders, meeting her distraught expression.

"I'll see you before long, Asuka. Keep in touch…" He replied, smiling softly. Asuka nodded sharply, clenching her eyes shut. When they reopened, they were clear, and she inhaled, before affecting a smile. Patting her on the shoulder, Gouken spoke once more.

"Now, go show the world what you're made of. Get going."

"Hai, sensei."

With a nod, and a firm, but confident expression, Asuka moved away, over to her duffel bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she glanced back at Gouken, the house, and the training area, before finally turning around and beginning to walk the path down to Misato's car.

Gouken then turned to Shinji.

He didn't get the chance to say anything, before Shinji leapt forward and embraced him, even tighter than Asuka. The boy didn't say anything, and as Gouken's arms tightened around him, so too did he speak.

"Shinji…I've poured everything I can into you. All of my knowledge, all of my wisdom. And it has been an honour to teach such a dedicated student. A master could wish for nothing more…"

Already, Gouken could feel the tears soaking through his gi, but he continued, voice wavering on the final words.

"I know you will find the right balance in whatever lies ahead, as you have with Ansatsuken...Be strong, as you always have been."

After a moment, Shinji pulled back, and began slowly wiping at his cheeks, nodding and murmuring his thanks.

"Hai, Gouken-sensei. Thank you."

Sniffing, the boy moved into a steep bow, which was returned by his master. When Shinji rose, he exhaled, then turned around. Moving towards his bag and slinging it over his shoulder, he trekked towards where Misato and Asuka were waiting, without a second glance.

* * *

The trip was already off to a painful start – Misato kept glancing at the rear-view mirror, watching as both Shinji and Asuka barely moved an inch. Shinji had spent the last half-hour staring forlornly out of the window, while Asuka had leaned back, arms folded. Her fringe hid her eyes, and the maelstrom of emotion that lay behind them.

_Gouken-sensei doesn't know…and Shinji doesn't, either. But __**I **__do…I know where we're headed. I know what NERV wants._

_I thought I'd left that life behind. I guess I was wrong._

_This woman, this Captain Katsuragi…she might as well be escorting us into a slaughterhouse. _

_Well, there's only one thing I know – whatever happens, they're not taking me or Shinji without one hell of a fight first._

* * *

**Well, that's the second part done and dusted. Let's hope I can keep this momentum going, and you can keep the reviews coming!**

**That sounds really, really arrogant. Sorry.**


	3. Interlude 01 - Gouken's Journal

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_An extract from Gouken's journal, dated 15th of August, 2015._

* * *

I knew this would happen, eventually. I can only blame myself for growing complacent, for deluding myself.

When I took Shinji in, and Asuka soon after, it was with a desire to save them from dark futures. Both children's families had been fractured, and I sought to offer them stability, to save them from themselves.

However, this didn't seem to correspond with what NERV, or GEHIRN, as they were apparently named, had planned at the time.

It was only shortly after I had taken Asuka in for the foreseeable future, that a group of men, led by one Gendo Ikari, arrived at the dojo's doorstep.

The man, to this day, stirs strong feelings in me. What kind of man abandons his only son? If I had not been there, at that place, at that time, who knows what might have become of Shinji?

Everything I have done bears NERV's taint - It was the only way I could keep custody of the children - I promised to, when it was possible, begin physical conditioning of the two, and to find them tutors – teachers of math, technology, and the sciences.

All this, to prepare them for an unknown calling – one I still fail to guess.

I had to push them, even when it seemed barbaric. GEHIRN had told me they would come for the children some time in 2015, and I had little choice but to push them through their training. I can only hope I did well enough as a father to make up for it.

When I was eleven, I was still training in basic technique. At that same age, my children trained in Hado, becoming adept in Ansatsuken's most powerful techniques only a year ago.

Their physical conditioning and strength is on par with a grown man's.

_What was I preparing them for?_

...I can only pray that I am not sending my children off to die.

* * *

**Expect little interludes like this. Hopefully they'll add cool little things to the story, little bonuses. I give all the credit to Machiavelli and his fantastic Shinji and The Doctor story. I only hope I can become half the writer you are.**


	4. Episode 1 - Alpha - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Ten years ago._

* * *

The day was clear, and bright – as were nearly all days in Japan, thanks to Second Impact.

As with every day, since he had begun to train in Ansatsuken, Gouken rose early, at five AM. The dojo's youngest occupant, who had only just arrived, still slept soundly.

Padding through the corridors, towards the small kitchen area near the back of the house, Gouken let out a long-winded yawn, sliding aside the door and stepping in. Breakfast for him was simple – little more than a bowl of rice, and rudimentary sushi. Nothing else was needed, only essential foodstuffs.

Taking his meagre meal out of the kitchen, Gouken made his way towards the front of the house, and after sliding the front doors open, took a seat on the front steps. With only his chopsticks for company, he enjoyed his breakfast, staring out at the expansive plain in front of him.

Occasionally, his gaze would drift towards the training area he had set up for himself – the dummies and exercise equipment. Why there was so much of it, he couldn't say – surely he only needed one dummy, yet he had three dug into the ground.

It could be said that he was simply clinging onto tradition – when he had trained at Gotetsu-sensei's dojo, there had been such an arrangement.

With a noncommittal grunt, he focused on his meal once again. Soon enough, Senzo, the dojo's faithful housekeeper and Gouken's vassal, also awoke, to begin morning chores and duties. The man's experience was evident in how he finished quickly, and, with his own, slightly larger meal, joined Gouken on the porch.

Neither man spoke for the longest period of time, instead choosing to focus on the sights and sounds of nature. However, the silence was eventually broken, by Gouken himself.

"Senzo, my friend…have I done the right thing?"

In response to the master's question, Senzo took a moment to finish his bite, and after swallowing, composed himself. His aged, but strong voice offered a response.

"In taking this boy in? Yes, I believe you have. You offer him what he would miss out on anywhere else."

Gouken only frowned at the housekeeper's response, speaking again soon after.

"But how can I be sure of that? How can I be sure that the home he was originally sent to, wouldn't be enough?"

Senzo spent the new few seconds finishing his meal, before replying.

"Gouken, I have watched you grow from a boy into a man, and in all this time, you have rarely been so unsure of yourself, and of your actions. Only once before, I believe. When the master died."

Gouken's expression fell slightly, but he didn't reply, or give Senzo reason for pause.

"That being said, I do believe you have done the right thing. As for giving this child 'enough', there is no such thing. There is no bare minimum of care to give to a child, no quota of affection to satisfy. And you can tell, Gouken, of how much anyone else cared for him, via one simple reason. In the past month, has anyone deigned to check on the child, other than us? Why else would he be unceremoniously handed over, to two strangers living in the middle of nowhere?"

With a heavy sigh, Gouken nodded, and turned his head towards his vassal. "Of course, you are right, old friend…you are right. Those who abandoned Shinji forsook him, left him to the demons of chance. And now, I have a purpose outside of Ansatsuken, something more to strive for."

* * *

"Very good, Shinji!" Gouken said, with a smile. In front of him, Shinji Ikari, age four, was dressed in a child's white gi – which was still too big for him – and performing surprisingly steady punch repetitions. Even though the boy had barely any strength, it was obvious to the master that he was using every ounce of it.

If Gouken had his way, he would not have had Shinji train – but the truth was, he had virtually no experience in fatherhood, or of a so-called normal life. That being said, training Shinji seemed to be the best course of action at the moment.

It was obvious that he'd endured something greatly saddening and traumatic, and giving the boy something to focus on and aspire to was a healthy distraction. However, whatever had befallen the boy remained a mystery – there was something more to it than just parental abandonment, which, to be fair was painful in and of itself.

However, simply daydreaming wouldn't help the boy.

Focusing on his newest pupil, Gouken moved forward and, with gentle words and movements, began to help Shinji straighten up his stance.

Some time later, when the boy had exhausted every drop of energy, he had nestled himself near one of the training dummies, chewing a small sandwich demurely. Shinji didn't speak often – only when he needed to.

However, Gouken had noticed that the boy was willing to talk for at least a small while, following each successful training session.

He made sure that the boy received as much positive reinforcement as possible, always offering a smile, always offering praise. Gouken didn't know if he was doing the right thing – rather, he was doing what he simply felt he could.

It was then that he caught sight of something unusual, something that drew Shinji's gaze and his.

A fairly expensive-looking car, with a gloss black paint job, was making its way up to the dojo. It only took a few seconds, but Gouken recognised the man driving, as the car slowly ground to a halt.

"Shinji, please stay here for a moment…" The master murmured, and then began to head towards the path leading down to the car. Already, the door had swung open, and from the car, out stepped a man.

Tall and slender, with a thin, sharp face, a head of copper hair and piercing blue eyes, Peter Langley ran his eyes over the dojo, and then looked to the approaching master of the house. His mouth curved into a smile, and he stepped forward.

"Peter…what are you doing here?" Gouken asked, surprised, watching as the man approached him. In response, he shrugged, offering an affable smile.

"Can't a guy come visit his old friend?" Langley offered, and then turned around to look at the car. "Asuka. Out of the car." His tone was sharp.

Slowly but surely, the back door swung open, and Gouken watched as a girl, no more than four years old, swung her legs out of the car, then with surprising deftness, hopped out onto the sandy ground.

She wore a black dress, and shared her father's red locks – but she wore it longer, and in twin pigtails held with bows of red ribbon. Wordlessly, she walked beside her father, and stopped, almost statue-like.

After a moment of silence, Gouken let out a breath, then offered a small smile to the two. "Well, would you like to come up?"

Peter offered a nod, and a grin, and as Gouken led them up the path to the house, Peter tugged Asuka along insistently.

As the group approached, Shinji straightened up, giving off waves of apprehension and discomfort. Instinctively, Gouken moved forward, and when he was close enough, Shinji moved behind him, peeking out from behind the master's legs.

As Langley and his daughter approached, Gouken looked back at the boy clinging to him. "Don't worry, Shinji. They're just friends." He made sure his tone was as gentle as possible, but even so, that didn't move him.

Langley paused, stopping a few paces away from Gouken. "Isn't that…isn't that the Ikari boy?" He asked, surprise tinted with shock in his tone.

The master looked back at his newest charge, then nodded.

Langley visibly frowned, eyes narrowing, but didn't comment on it. Instead, he changed the subject. "Is there somewhere private we could speak, old friend?"

At this, Gouken's own eyes narrowed, and he struggled to make a choice that had Shinji in mind. Eventually, the man in front of him took charge instead.

"You don't need to worry about the boy. Asuka can keep him occupied."

Grimacing internally at the man's casual tone and language, Gouken eventually gave in, letting out a sigh. "Very well. Follow me." He began to turn around, and move backwards, but Shinji began to tug insistently on his gi pants.

Making sure to keep his voice soft, he bent down.

"Shinji…I'll only be a few minutes, alright? I'll be back soon."

The boy didn't reply, instead looking down at the ground, and eventually nodding once. As Gouken stepped away from him, Langley moved to follow the other man, and once he passed Shinji, spoke.

"Don't worry, Ikari-kun. Asuka doesn't bite." His voice was overly loud, and the boy flinched, face screwing up slightly.

Little by little, Gouken's irritation with his so-called friend was growing, but he didn't let it show, and instead gestured for Langley to follow him into the house.

As they disappeared into the dojo, Shinji bit his lip, and then looked up to find that Asuka had moved closer. Her eyes gazed into his with a fire unbecoming of her age, and the boy couldn't help but stumble back. Nonetheless, he didn't break eye contact, and the two stared at each other.

* * *

Kneeling across from Gouken, Langley let out a yawn, scratching the back of his head. "Apologies, old friend. It was a long drive."

"I can imagine…" The other man replied, a small edge to his tone. "Peter, why are you here?"

Langley straightened up, and seemed to hesitate for a moment, before speaking, tone devoid of the usual volume and energy.

"Kyoko's getting worse."

At this, the master of the dojo frowned slightly, nodding once in understanding. Peter Langley was a secretive man, and thus the nature of his work was kept under wraps. However, his friend had told him that Kyoko, his wife and Asuka's mother, had been severely injured in some kind of lab accident, and moved into an institution.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Peter…but why did you come here, instead of calling to tell me? Why bring your daughter along?" Gouken asked, gaze piercing and tone questioning.

Langley sighed, before letting a small, broken smile stretch across his lips. "Direct as always, friend. The doctors say that if Kyoko snaps, she'll snap bad – and I want Asuka to be away from her when that happens. If anything happens to Kyoko, I can't tell how my daughter will react."

"And?" Gouken asked, arcing one eyebrow.

"And I believe, it's for the best that she spend some time away from Germany, while this affair is sorted out. Much of Kyoko's work was sensitive and delicate – it needs to be transferred to someone else, and I won't have much time for her while I'm working." Langley paused, then looked away for a moment, at the closed doors leading out of the house.

"That's why I think she'd be better off spending a month or two with you." The man continued.

At this, Gouken's jaw dropped.

"I – I'm sorry, Peter, but I don't think I can. I'm barely managing to take care of Shinji…" The master spluttered, taken aback, but his friend simply shook his head.

"Let me tell you something – you're doing something right with the Ikari boy. He looks far more active than the last time I saw him." Langley retorted. "I think you can handle Asuka."

Gouken slumped forward slightly, exhaling. "I'll consider it."

"Don't worry, friend. I'll call to collect her whenever I'm ready." The man across from him replied, with a small smile that had no place on a father's face in a situation like this.

"…Just a month or two?" Gouken finally said, looking back up at Langley, who nodded.

* * *

When the two men finally finished speaking, and ironing out the more delicate details of Asuka's temporary lodgings, they headed outside, and stopped short at the sight before them.

On either side of the porch, Shinji and Asuka stared at each other, both sitting down.

Asuka seemed to have mellowed somewhat in the minutes that had passed – her back was relaxed, and she was leaning forward somewhat, in interest. Conversely, Shinji had also relaxed.

It was a strange sight, but somehow, Gouken had the feeling that two months with another child wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

Then two months turned into five.

Five turned into eight, then a year.

Langley didn't call for his daughter after that.

Soon after, Gouken realised there was a reason he had chosen to have three training dummies, not one, even if he had been unaware of it at the time.

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Slowly, Asuka's eyes fluttered open, and she glanced around unfamiliar surroundings for a moment, before realising she was still in Captain Katsuragi's car, which was still driving. It was night –or early morning, she couldn't tell. A quick glance at the digital clock above the car's radio revealed that it was three AM.

Ahead of the car, though, could be seen what appeared to be a city, the massive conglomeration of steel, glass and concrete illuminated by a hundred thousand lights.

Instinctively, she sought out Shinji, but calmed when she saw that her companion was sleeping calmly, across from her, nuzzled into his duffle bag.

"Oh, you're awake…" A voice came from the front of the car, and Asuka turned towards it, narrowing her eyes.

Captain Katsuragi glanced back at her, before focusing on the road ahead. "We're almost at Tokyo-3. You might want to wake your friend up, we'll be stopping soon and you both have some walking to do."

Asuka remained silent, but nodded. Evidently, Katsuragi had seen, because she didn't say anything else and instead focused on driving.

Reaching across, Asuka gently shook Shinji's shoulder, and after a few seconds of nothing, followed up by a few seconds of softly slapping him with the back of her gloved hand, he jerked awake, mumbling slightly.

"Wake up, baka." The girl's words were soft, and a little tired, and what would have been an insult to most instead seemed to be spoken with tenderness, and familiarity.

Shinji slowly straightened in his seat, rubbing at his eyes.

For the first time, Misato heard Shinji speak – and was surprised at how gentle his voice was. Maybe it was because he had just woken up, but it was abnormally soft, quiet and composed for a boy his age.

"Mm…Asuka? Where are – oh, sorry. Nevermind."

The boy looked towards the Captain sitting in front of him, who glanced in the rear view mirror, before speaking.

"We just have to show you two a few things before you can get a decent night's sleep. Sorry." Misato said, shuffling in her seat as she slowed down and took a turn. The car was moving through the suburban areas at the moment, and would soon enter the city.

"A few things?" Asuka said, tone questioning, but firm.

The captain paused, before nodding. "Just a few things at NERV. I haven't been told yet, we'll find out when we get there. Don't worry, it's nothing bad, or strange…"

"I never said that it might be." The girl retorted, looking back over at Shinji for a moment, who had seemed to draw in on himself slightly. Meanwhile, Misato's face twisted slightly at Asuka's abrasive manner, but she said nothing.

Once again, a terse silence reigned over the car. Before long, they were in the thick of the city, and Misato was heading towards the nearest NERV entrance – one of the few she actually remembered the location of.

As the Captain wheeled the car into the darkened loading dock, and signalled for the operators to lock the clamps in place, she turned back to the children.

"I take it this is the first time you've been to Tokyo-3?" Misato asked, tilting her head slightly.

Both nodded, Shinji somewhat slower than Asuka, as if he was unsure.

"Then this will be something of a surprise for you." Misato said, with a small smile. Even if the atmosphere had been downcast so far, hopefully what came next would lift the children's spirits, if only for a moment.

The transport elevator hummed into life, and slowly, began to lower the car down the illuminated shaft.

After a half-minute of watching the light swipe over and off the dashboard of the car, Misato let out a sigh of relief as the car left the darkened shaft, and almost instantly, the previously withdrawn children sprung into life, looking out of the windows in awe at the view before them.

"I don't believe it…" Asuka gasped, turning to Misato, who nodded.

Below them, was an impossibility of nature, made possible by man's ingenuity. In effect, a massively large cave, refurbished and turned into a fully functioning and habitable refuge for humanity, indistinguishable from anything up above. Where there should have been ceiling, there was sky - and where there was once cave floor, there was ocean, forest and road.

"Yes. Welcome to the Geo-Front – NERV's headquarters."

"Amazing…" Shinji murmured, gazing out at the gleaming sea and expansive woodlands below them.

Leaning back in her chair, Misato allowed herself an honest, easy smile for the first time in what felt like a small eternity, thoughts of relief and satisfaction joining apprehension and worry, if only for a few moments.

_Finally, those kids are smiling. Hopefully, they can stay like that for a little while longer._

* * *

**And that's another part finished! I don't think I've ever updated so fast, or written so much. Hopefully I can keep this pace up!**

**Again, reviews are like nectar to me. Even a short one will make my day, so if you like what I'm doing, please take some time to leave one.**


	5. Episode 1 - Alpha - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

As soon as Misato had wheeled her car into the NERV facility's main car park, Asuka had already unbuckled her seatbelt and was out of the car, with her bag, the second it pulled into its parking spot. Raising her eyebrows slightly, but saying nothing, Misato glanced back at Shinji, who was moving at a far more sedate pace.

The boy opened his own door, and slid out, dragging his duffel with him, and slinging it over his shoulder.

With a small sigh, Misato removed the keys from the ignition, and stepped out of the car, locking it behind her. Turning to face the two so-called pilots, she began to speak, but the words died in her throat as she struggled to find the right words.

When Misato did speak, her voice was firm and composed, if a little slow.

"Alright. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to…"

_Actually, where did they want me to take the kids? Oh, that's right. The EVA cages. But I can't exactly tell them that, can I?_

"I'll take you to meet the senior staff. There are some things that need to be ironed out."

At this, Asuka's expression twisted into a slight scowl, while Shinji appeared a little more unsure, taking nervous glances at his surroundings. Without saying anything, Misato turned on her heel, and began walking, inwardly praying that she'd get better at communicating with these kids as time went on. As it was, she was some kind of bizarre kidnapper giving them orders.

As Misato led them through the dizzying maze of steel and fluorescent lights that were the lower levels of the base, she tried to focus on simply getting to the cages as soon as possible.

It only occurred to her ten minutes later that she had no idea where those were.

She could almost feel the gazes of the two kids behind her, judgemental and questioning, and as they walked into an elevator, Asuka mumbled something to her companion about it being the exact same elevator they'd used minutes ago. Misato bristled, but still stayed silent.

Thankfully, her salvation came in the form of Ritsuko Akagi, whose gaze sent the Captain stepping back slightly as the elevator doors parted to reveal it.

"Oh, Ritsuko! I – uh…" Misato made a poor attempt at small talk, but the woman in front of her would have none of it.

"You're twenty minutes late, Captain Katsuragi." Ritsuko replied, blunt, but also a little triumphant, her lips curling into something of a smirk. To the side of them, Asuka whispered something to Shinji that sounded like "Told you so."

Raising one eyebrow, Ritsuko turned to the two children, running her eyes over the two of them. Asuka stood tall and straight, meeting the doctor's gaze with the same determination that she'd glared at Misato with, while Shinji appeared a little more withdrawn, save for the squareness of his stance. In particular, Ritsuko seemed to be focusing on the musculature of the two children, as well as Asuka's gloves.

"So, these are the children." Ritsuko mused, her eyes narrowing in interest. "Ritsuko Akagi, head of Project E Tech Division. A pleasure."

Finally, Asuka spoke clearly, and when she did, it seemed that she was affecting false pleasantry.

"Likewise." The girl's own face seemed to tighten somewhat, while Shinji simply murmured similar, bowing slightly.

The rest of the elevator ride was spent in terse silence, and when Ritsuko ushered them out, Misato breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. The doctor guided them through a door, and into a somewhat large room where several motorised hovercraft were anchored, floating slowly on a sea of red.

The sight of the crimson liquid drew Shinji's gaze for a few seconds, until Asuka grasped his shoulder, shaking him out of his trance. The two walked over to the first hovercraft, that Ritsuko had indicated, and alongside the Captain, stepped into it, with the doctor following behind and pulling the ignition.

As the small craft began to deftly maneuverer through the steel passages and scarlet waters leading up to the cages, Misato dared to look back at the two children. The two were sitting close together, and their expressions were the same as always – Asuka was stony-faced, while Shinji seemed somewhat rattled.

Every time the hovercraft took a particularly sharp turn, the spray of the red liquid would rise slightly higher, and Asuka would wrinkle her nose at the metallic smell. Every so often, she would look over at Shinji, but he seemed to have retreated in on himself, no doubt wondering what would happen. If Asuka remembered correctly, his father worked here.

However, as the boat turned a corner, and accelerated slightly, Asuka's breath caught in her throat at the sight before her.

She could _see_ it.

A part of it, anyway. What appeared to be a portion of a massive arm was visible through a cutaway section of the large metal wall the hovercraft seemed to be on course for. She must have been staring, because Shinji shuffled a little closer to her, murmuring.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked, nearly inaudible over the sound of the engine and the surf.

Asuka nodded stiffly, and turned away from the sight as they got closer, instead focusing on her hands, and the yellow gloves that covered them. She flexed her fingers, then tightened them into fists, angling them so the material of the gloves strained slightly. It was a familiar feeling, one that brought her back down to Earth.

_This is it._

The assembled group stepped into a room – pitch-black, save for the sliver of metal walkway illuminated from the light coming in behind them. When the door shut, they were plunged into darkness.

"Shinji Ikari, Asuka Langley Sohryu – I'm going to show you something."

The lights flashed on, too bright, and the two children stepped back slightly, shocked expressions on their faces.

On either side of the four, was a massive form, both submerged in the same red liquid, save for their shoulders and heads.

To the right, the face that Asuka had only seen in her dreams and the occasional, horrid nightmare – a large, boxy visage, no discernable humanity about it, painted in red and white, with an elongated, protruding chin and four, empty green circles, two on either side of the 'face' that served as bizarre eyes.

A wide neck, plated with purple, disappeared down to meet the beginnings of a chest, also painted red. The girl swallowed, and kept her back straight, staring the creature down.

_The thing that took Mama. Mama's mind, anyway._

To the left, facing Shinji, was a somewhat different animal. It had somewhat normal eyes, but they were dead and darkened, sunken into black pits in the helmet. There were discernable jaws – metallic, clenched and with a pointed chin, though not as pronounced as the other.

It was painted in all white, with some red highlighting, and appeared somewhat – human, if that was the correct word. Its 'helmet' could be likened to a Samurai's helm – coming down the sides of the face and tapering off at the back, and a tall horn proudly spiked upwards in the middle of the forehead region.

The boy couldn't help but step back slightly, shaken, and Ritsuko stepped forward, casually passing him by to stand closer to these strange entities.

"You're looking at the most advanced weapons systems ever designed by man. The synthetic humanoid Evangelion," the doctor mused, a blank, professional expression on her face . "Unit One..."

Ritsuko indicated the great white beast, and then turned around to face its crimson companion. "Unit Two."

Asuka ground her teeth slightly, but kept composed, finally speaking after a few moments. "So my family's work was moved from Germany."

"Yes, it was."

The new voice echoed from above them, and both Shinji and Asuka whirled to find the source.

From up on high, far above Unit One's head, Commander Gendo Ikari scrutinised the two with a clinical eye. Separated from the room below him by a glass plate, his voice was somewhat tinny and distorted by the speakers transmitting it.

Asuka frowned at the sight of the Commander, but Shinji simply stared, mouth open slightly and eyes wide, as if he was staring at some kind of god or impossibility.

"F…Father?" The word was unfamiliar and slow from disuse, and the boy swallowed, his stance instinctively straightening up as the man's eyes flew to him like a hawk.

"It's been quite a while." The man replied, voice level and countenance cold.

A wave of memories and emotions crashed over Shinji, and the boy shook slightly in his father's presence, almost as if he was the same sobbing child that had been discarded all those years ago. He avoided the man's gaze, his fringe hiding his eyes

* * *

_Ten years ago._

* * *

Shinji didn't know what was going on. Nobody was telling him anything – after Mother had vanished, Father had changed – had disappeared for days before he reappeared, and when he did, he had nothing for Shinji save a packed suitcase.

Left on the scorching summer street, the boy cried silently to himself, sitting on the edge of the curb. Before Father had disappeared, he had told him to wait for his 'teacher'. Whoever that was, Shinji didn't care – he just wanted someone to take him away from here and tell him Mother and Father would be back soon.

With a sniff, the boy tugged at the collar of his shirt, which was slipping off one of his shoulders. Rubbing at his eyes with his palms, Shinji drew into himself, his knees to his chest as he closed his eyes.

He stayed like that for what must have been an hour or more – until someone came.

Eyes opening when the sound of crunching gravel was heard, Shinji turned to see the new arrival, but the sun blinded him somewhat, obscuring their features.

Blinking several times, he found relief from the light when the man – it must have been a man, for the stranger's frame was tall and wide – stepped in front of it.

Shinji shuffled back slightly, as the man kneeled in front of him, his features visible. Kind eyes and a curious expression stared at him, and the boy sniffed slightly, before speaking.

"A – Are you my teacher?"

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Seeming to buckle slightly under the weight of the memory, the boy took a moment to fully straighten up again, but the man called 'Father' still towered over him.

Shinji remained silent, along with Asuka, until to their left, Ritsuko spoke once more.

"Shinji – Asuka. You will be the pilots."

At this, Shinji visibly started, whilst Asuka's posture seemed to crumple slightly, with little sign of shock – only bitter acceptance.

Behind the three, Misato bit the inside of her lip, watching as the children struggled to comprehend what had befallen them. Surprisingly, it was Shinji who spoke up first, the once quiet child now sputtering in shock and apprehension.

"W – What do you mean? I – we – can't possibly pilot these things. I've never seen this kind of stuff before!"

His voice was young, and carried the barest hint of fear, Misato realised. It was somewhat strange, given that she'd only heard whispers and quiet mutterings until now.

"You'll receive necessary training." Commander Ikari replied to his son, who resumed silently fretting. "And you are already in peak physical condition."

A dangerous thought entered Shinji's mind.

_What if Gouken-sensei was working with them?...With father? For this?_

After that, silence descended upon the massive room, nothing but the sound of distant mechanical work to echo against the metal walls. When Shinji once again looked up to his father, he was gone – the room that the man had looked down on them from was darkened.

Ritsuko turned to Misato, then moved towards the children, speaking.

"You're expected to report to NERV HQ tomorrow afternoon. We'll begin the first steps of your training. Until then, a pair of NERV dormitories have been reserved for you."

The doctor's tone was terribly clinical, as if she was addressing some science project, and not two children. Before Misato could stop herself, she had butted into the conversation.

"No!"

Ritsuko once again faced Misato, with raised eyebrows and hard eyes.

"I mean – they need somewhere a little more comfortable. A little more removed." The captain offered, lamely, watching out of the corner of her eye as the two children moved to look at her in muted interest.

"What are you suggesting?" Ritsuko asked, her expression softening somewhat.

"My apartment, up top."

The doctor visibly bristled, but mulled over the proposal for a few moments, before speaking. "It's irregular to say the least, but perhaps necessary. I'll discuss it with the commander. For now, the two will sleep here."

Misato deflated slightly, her posture slackening as Ritsuko moved past her. The doctor gestured to the two children to follow her, and they did so, slowly and languidly, their gazes still lingering on the armoured behemoths to their sides.

* * *

Shinji was still in shock from what he'd seen – such monsters belonged in a story, or fantasy, but this was real life. This was impossible.

Then again, Gouken-sensei had performed the impossible himself, and taught both Shinji and Asuka. Perhaps this wasn't so implausible.

In the end, it was irrelevant – he and his best friend were being forced to control those things, things which they knew next to nothing about.

As Ritsuko marched them down a lifeless, steel corridor marked with numbered doors, Shinji turned to Asuka, expecting some sort of small conversation – but the typically fiery girl was quiet, her eyes masked by her fringe and her gaze aimed at the floor.

Ritsuko's voice brought Shinji out of his musings, and he watched as she stopped, indicating two doors.

"The two of you will rest here for the night. We'll call for you at one PM – we expect you ready."

Shinji nodded, and bowed, but Asuka remained still. Ritsuko eyed the girl for a moment, but then simply left, leaving the two.

Finally alone, the boy attempted to break the silence, but before he could, there was the sound of a door sliding open, and Asuka was gone, having vanished into her room.

With a heavy heart, a troubled mind, and slow steps, Shinji Ikari made his way into the room, made his way into a new chapter of his life. Without changing, he dropped his bag at the foot of the bed, and promptly collapsed on top of it, desperately seeking refuge in slumber.

* * *

**Forgive me for leaving for so long - I was distracted, and I really should have put this chapter out sooner. Review, please!**


	6. Episode 2 - Proving Grounds - Part 1

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Out of habit, Shinji rose early – at six AM sharp. For a moment, he remained limp in the bed, instead staring up blankly.

_An unfamiliar ceiling…_

Blinking slowly, the boy began to shift in the bed, trying to shake the grogginess from his limbs. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Shinji stared ahead at the cold metal wall, barely illuminated by a small light on an even smaller table beside the bed.

As he let out a sigh, the full reality of his situation washed over him, and he almost lurched back in shock, but shook his head, and let out a breath, all in an attempt to centre himself. Normally, he would have easily dropped into meditation, but the circumstances of his situation, and the sudden departure from familiar, safe surroundings were too much of a shock to the system to allow for easy detachment.

Instead, he stood up, and walked forward for a moment, idly flexing and stretching. His muscles felt tight – he had probably been sleeping at an awkward angle. To NERV's credit, their dormitories had soft beds.

It was a small comfort, given the current situation.

Searching around for the main light switch, Shinji found it next to the doorframe, and flicked it on, blinking repeatedly at the sudden flash of brightness. Glancing at his discarded watch on the table, the boy strode over, and began turning it over in his hands, unsure of what to do next. Aimless, he collapsed back onto his bed, the springs squeaking in protest.

As Shinji's fingers glided over the watch's face, he lost himself in thought.

_That man – no, Father, your father – said that we'd need to pilot those things. Why? That doctor called them weapons. Do they want me and Asuka to fight? If so, what are we fighting against? _

_I need answers. But…I need to talk with Asuka first. She seemed withdrawn. That's not usually her thing. Come to think of it, she's been like that ever since we left the dojo, so she must have known something about this place, this NERV beforehand._

_I need answers._

* * *

"ARGH!"

The sound of hard impact upon cushioned leather resounded throughout NERV's empty gym, echoing off the hard metal walls and blanketing Asuka in an echo of endless violence.

Retracting her leg back into a chamber, poised perfectly on her other foot, the girl whirled around, and with another ferocious cry, sent a spinning heel at the punching bag before her.

"HAH!"

Dressed in a red tank top and black spandex shorts, along with her trusty gloves, Asuka dealt with her frustrations in one of the most surefire ways available. Springing across the cool floor of the gym on practiced bare feet, she brought a flurry of vicious jabs and hooks to bear on the bag, letting out a small sound with every thrown punch.

Asuka wasn't sure how long she'd been at this – her knuckles were beginning to bleed, and she could already spot points in the bag where the leather was beginning to give way. Within the girl, her fiery _hado_ pulsed powerfully, pleading for release.

_No…I can't. People like these…who knows what they'd do with someone like me, or Shinji once they found out what we can really do? I'll need to talk with him, as soon as possible. Make sure the baka doesn't screw us and Gouken-sensei over by accident._

_Besides, I'm not alone at the moment._

Lingering near the door of the gym, Misato watched Asuka attack the punching bag with a level of ferocity and precision unbecoming of the girl's appearance or age.

The captain had been spending her last few hours bent over paperwork and reports with nothing but lukewarm coffee for company, and when the girl had come to her at five AM, looking for somewhere to blow off steam, she'd gladly helped her out.

"EEYAH!"

Howling, Asuka bolted forward, and leapt at the bag, impacting the bag with a mighty flying side kick. Misato raised her eyebrows, taken aback. Come to think of it, that was happening a lot these days.

Her surprise only increased when the bag finally gave way, the sand spilling out and across the floor. With a frown, Misato moved forward slightly, scrutinising the redhead. Every muscle seemed to ripple with power, and sweat shone on pale skin in the artificial lighting.

_This girl's pretty...intense. At least she's not mouthing off anymore…although that punching bag will be difficult to explain._

Paying no mind to the destroyed punching bag, Asuka turned on her heel, and began to advance back towards Misato, who in turn stepped back accordingly. The redhead spared the captain a mere glance before she bent down, and reached into a nearby bag she'd quickly assembled. Drawing out a large bottle of water, Asuka took a greedy gulp, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.

Slowly, the girl rose to face the captain, after zipping up the bag.

"Thanks." Another clipped reply for the captain, who only nodded in response. Misato didn't like this little rapport that she had with the girl – this passive-aggressive _bullshit _was getting on her nerves.

"Don't mention it..." The captain broke eye contact, glancing about aimlessly as she struggled to find some way to support a conversation. "There's still time before Project E needs you…maybe you should go get some rest? You've only had about three hours sleep."

Asuka simply shrugged, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I've done more on less."

Misato nodded, slowly, then watched as the girl toed her way into sneakers, before bending down to wriggle into a sweatshirt. "Well, if you do need anything…I'll be where you found me."

With a brief nod and a sideways glance, Asuka moved out of the gym, and began the long walk back to the dormitories. Letting out a sigh, she began to pull at the wrist straps of her gloves, loosening and pulling them off.

Giving her fingers an experimental flex, she was rewarded with a slight sting, but paid it no mind, slipping the gloves into her bag. Turning corners and walking down corridors with little care for direction, the redhead soon found herself lost – but from the signs sparsely littered around NERV, she was able to discern that she was somewhere near the Project E laboratories, and getting closer with every step.

Almost instantly, Asuka moved to turn around, but paused, sparing the map another glance.

_I might as well find out what I can. At least then I and Shinji will be better prepared._

Setting her expression firmly, the girl began to stalk towards the Project E facilities with uncertainty in her heart, and fire in her eyes.

* * *

In the darkened expanse of the Pribnow Box's control centre, Maya Ibuki's brow was furrowed in concentration. The mousy technician had been dealing with this problem for the past three hours, and no matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't get the desired result.

On the screen in front of her, the digital pinball slipped past the frantic beating of the flippers, disappearing into the abyss below.

"Oh, _come on_! I didn't even get to ten million that time!"

The technician groaned in exasperation, running a hand through her already messy brown hair, and then moved to start a new game. As her eyes glanced up the menu to select the option, she caught sight of her reflection in the window in front of her, as well as another one behind her, difficult to make out in the low light.

In Maya's chest, her heart froze, and she swallowed, before swivelling around and speaking.

"AkagisempaiI'msosorryIdidn'tmeantowastetimeitwasjustthatIgotboredwhilethediagnosticswererunning and – "

She stopped when she realised the person in front of her wasn't Ritsuko, but rather, a young redhead with a sceptical look on her face. Some of the colour returned to Maya's face, and she righted herself on her chair, intermittently glancing up at the new arrival.

_Oooh. Muscles. Those arms…and she's all sweaty. Spandex too – but she looks like she's fourteen, you massive, raging pervert! Stop staring before you get arrested for – _

"Hello?" The redhead tilted her head slightly as she spoke, waving a hand slowly to draw the technician's attention. Maya blinked repeatedly as she moved out of her reverie, and looked up at the girl, before speaking.

"…Hi. Um, sorry about that whole…screaming thing back there. You kinda caught me off guard..." Maya offered a nervous laugh with her apology, and the girl in front of her narrowed her eyes slightly.

"No kidding." The redhead said, before glancing ahead of Maya, into the darkened expanse beyond the windows. After a moment, she spoke, glancing down at the technician. "What's beyond there?"

Maya turned around slightly, to follow the girl's gaze, and then nodded in understanding.

"That's the Pribnow Box. It's where the Evangelion Simulation Bodies are maintained and operated."

"Simulation Bodies?" Asuka quirked one eyebrow.

The mousy brunette offered another affirmative nod, elaborating. "It's where we train the Eva Pilots themselves, via VR simulation. We can't afford to let the actual Units out for regular training routines, so…"

In the back of her mind, it occurred to Maya that she was giving a detailed lecture about the operations of Project E to someone she didn't even recognise, someone that probably wasn't even part of NERV.

_Come to think of it, how did she even get in here? Even if she is kind of hot – and fourteen – Crap! I had to sign an Official Secrets Act when I got the job, and I think I just violated every single clause._

With an audible swallow, Maya looked at the girl, before speaking.

"Say…you wouldn't mind telling me…who you are?"

The girl turned around slightly, raising one eyebrow.

"Sohryu. Asuka Langley."

The reply drew a squeak from Maya, who drew back into her chair.

"The Second Child! I'm sorry, I should have recognised you!" At this, Asuka narrowed her brow, gaze firm but questioning. Maya promptly quieted, unsure of what to do beneath the girl's steely gaze.

"…What's this Second Child thing about?" The redhead questioned, inquisitive. It took a moment for the technician to reply.

"I – It's your title. Or designation, rather. All the EVA Pilots have them. The First Child, Rei Ayanami, The Second Child…you…and the Third Child, Shinji Ikari."

"Rei Ayanami?"

Asuka's abrupt question brought pause to the woman in front of her, who nodded again, slowly.

"She's the Pilot of Unit Zero. Our prototype model. But she's been in the hospital these past few weeks, unfortunately." Maya gazed at the ground, feeling a twinge of sympathy for the girl in question.

"Due to?"

The girl's replies were piercing and to the point, and the mousy woman felt a little uncomfortable answering them. Nonetheless, as a Pilot of EVA, she had a right to know.

"We were…um…" Maya's hands found each other, intertwining fingers awkwardly. "We were conducting an activation test with Unit Zero, but something went wrong."

Hoping the girl would leave it at that, Maya drew back in her seat, but the redhead's powerful blue gaze was still on her. After another few seconds of deadly silence, the technician felt no choice but to continue.

"The Unit went berserk…tried to cause damage to itself. We immobilised it, but not before the Auto-Eject activated. The Entry Plug ejected violently, and impacted the walls, before plummeting to the ground – a fall of around fifty meters."

* * *

As the technician in front of her went on about the accident, part of Asuka wanted to shrivel up and die. Another part wanted to break down the door to Shinji's room, fling him over her shoulder, and sprint back to the dojo, away from this institutionalised madness.

_Berserk machines? Are you serious? What the hell have we been forced into?_

She could only listen as the woman detailed this Ayanami girl's injuries, contusions and fractures abound. When the conversation ended, Asuka offered a small thanks, and disappeared from the Pribnow box, deciding that she'd definitely need a few more hours of sleep in order to prepare for whatever was coming next.

With her bag hefted over her shoulder, she drew it close, instinctively wanting to zip it open, and don her gloves, craving that reassuring feeling of both protection and strength. Asuka shook her head after a few seconds, cursing her weakness.

_This place is already messing with me. I have to stay strong. If not for myself, then for Shinji. _

* * *

_Several hours later._

* * *

Having gone back to bed, Shinji had awoken at eleven AM, somewhat unused to so many hours of sleep. Stretching languidly, he made his way out of bed, and with little else to occupy his time, began moving through bodyweight exercises.

On his fiftieth pushup, there was a small beep, and the boy flinched, not dropping his form. He called out, questioning.

"Hello?"

An older male voice – still a little young, though – replied.

"Eh…Shinji Ikari? Alright if I come in?"

"Sure." Shinji replied, flattening back to the ground, and then standing up.

The door slid open with a whir, and a man dressed in NERV khakis stepped into the room. His large glasses and slicked back hair were what drew most attention, but Shinji couldn't help noticing that the man was staring. At his arms.

_I'm gonna get a lot of this, aren't I? First that doctor, now you…who knows who else._

"I'm Makoto Hyuga. I work up on the command bridge…" The man made a small gesture with his hand, before continuing. "Your first activation test with Unit One is at one PM sharp, so I've been asked to show you around and get you ready beforehand. You okay with that?"

Smiling somewhat at the man's casual but polite countenance, Shinji nodded. "Yeah, it's fine."

A few minutes later, Shinji followed Makoto throughout the sprawling metallic corridors, taking in everything he could as he was guided around the NERV complex. Now that he wasn't half-asleep, and in something of a daze, he could actually focus.

"Through there is one of the elevators leading to the command bridge…" Makoto went on, gesturing to the various doors, staircases and other points of interest. "But as you can see from this sign…this is the route to the Project E department, or NERV Science. It's where we maintain the EVAs and conduct research. It's around twelve-twenty now, we'll head down there and get you prepped."

With nothing but a silent nod, Shinji followed the man, letting out a small sigh as they began to make their way through another metal maze.

* * *

**Another chapter for my faithful followers. Hopefully you liked it. I'll try to tighten up my update schedule, but as the king of procrastination, it's been a little difficult so far. You have my ****utmost apologies. Read and review, please!**

**Also, holy f**kbubbles. I'm on the NGE Fanfic Rec page over at ! Thank you so much!**


	7. Interlude 02 - It Goes With Everything

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Several days before._

* * *

As Maya and Makoto fretted above their consoles and keyboards, Shigeru Aoba took the time to enjoy the latest beat, fresh from the internet.

It was rhythmic, and had a fairly powerful bass, but there was just something about this particular piece of music, something that just seemed strange.

No matter what went on, no matter what he was doing, or watching, this music_…just seemed to go with everything._

As he bent back down to type a sequence of code, he caught himself mumbling the chords with every keystroke.

**"Da dada da da…da dada da dada…"**

"Shigeru?" Makoto's voice came from over his shoulder, behind the blast of his headphones.

Pulling one out, he made an inquisitive sound. "Hm?" The self-styled guitarist turned to face his friend. "What is it?"

"It's just…what are you doing? You've been singing that same song to yourself for hours." Makoto furrowed his brow, as he spoke.

Shigeru simply shook his head, pulling the other headphone out. After checking to make sure the Captain, or the Vice Commander wasn't present, he motioned for Makoto and Maya to come closer.

"It's just…you have to hear this. It goes with everything." Shigeru explained, as he offered a headphone to the both of them. As the two in front of him leaned in curiously, he moved the headphones closer to their ears, until they took the signal and slipped them in.

After a few seconds, almost unconsciously, their heads began to move with the beat.

"Okay…" Makoto said, pulling back slightly. "Not bad. But what do you mean, it goes with everything?"

"Just wait and see." Shigeru said, taking his headphones back with a small smile of triumph.

* * *

In her office, a mere day afterwards, Misato ticked and stamped paperwork with a rhythmic ferocity, a grin on her face as the music piped through the small, tinny stereo system she'd brought from the apartment.

**"Da dada da da!"** With the final chord of the string, a box was aggressively ticked.

* * *

One of the younger technicians on the command bridge, Sakura, could have sworn she saw the Vice-Commander moving his head to some kind of rhythm, but she couldn't be sure.

* * *

**Go home and be a fanfiction writer.**


	8. Episode 2 - Proving Grounds - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

"What the hell?" Asuka whispered, to the empty locker room surrounding her.

The girl's nose wrinkled, as she held up the vacuum-packed package in front of her. She held it at multiple different angles, as if attempting to discern some hidden meaning from it. Within the clear plastic, there appeared to be something akin to a red wetsuit, but the material was more akin to PBC than anything, with the odd spot of what seemed to be orange plastic.

With a sigh, she pulled open the back of the package, and pulled the full suit out, unfolding it and holding it in front of her. This thing – Misato had called it a 'plugsuit' before disappearing from the room – was meant to enhance her connection with the EVA. Unconsciously, Asuka's fingers tightened, crumpling the red material in her hands.

_Even thinking about it…how can I be expected to pilot it, whatever that means?_

Slowly, she turned and sat down on the nearby bench, her shoulders and head slumping down, almost in defeat.

_But I can't turn my back on this. I…just need to take it as it comes. Meet the challenge._

Straightening up, Asuka held up the plugsuit in front of her, and let out a breath. Apparently, it had to be worn without anything else beneath it. She rolled her eyes, and then glanced around.

"Alright, how hard can it be?"

Beginning to search for some kind of zipper or fastener, the redhead turned the suit over several times in her hands. Eventually, she did come across a somewhat well hidden clasp near the neck, above a yellow strip which stretched across the collarbones.

Undoing it, Asuka watched as the suit opened up, and then began to strip down. Afterwards, she began to awkwardly clamber into the suit with balance unbefitting of a martial arts master, cursing as she stumbled slightly.

Finally, Asuka breathed out in relief, as she pulled the material across her shoulders and chest.

_It's surprisingly warm. But, it's kind of loose. Hmm…_

Biting her lip in thought, she gazed down at her hands, as if they might provide some kind of answer. Funnily enough, they did – the cuffs on the wrists had very prominent buttons, with the word ENGAGE marked on them. With a non-committal shrug, Asuka grasped one cuff, and depressed the button.

* * *

Outside of the female locker room, Misato leant against the wall, arms folded. She promptly jerked forwards, however, when an almighty screech came from within the room.

"**Mein Gott!" **

Hand instinctively reaching into her jacket for her service pistol, Misato quickly moved over to the door, rapping it sharply.

"Asuka?" The captain called, brow furrowed. "Asuka, what's wrong? Asuka –"

The door slid open, and out stepped the redhead.

Misato struggled to hold back a small giggle.

The girl's expression was equal parts shock, disgust, and contempt, and she practically waddled towards Misato, in the now skintight plugsuit.

"What…" Asuka hissed, "is this?" The redhead indicated the plugsuit, which clung to every contour of her body, almost like a second skin.

With a small smirk on her face, Misato drew back. "That is a plugsuit." She replied, simply, watching as Asuka seethed.

After a few moments, the girl in front of her straightened up, and then looked at her before beginning to stalk down the corridor towards the testing facility.

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Makoto asked, watching as Shinji stepped out of the male locker room, clad in his own plugsuit. The upper portion of the torso was coloured white and black, while the legs, hands and lower body were red. The boy made a face, shuffling around slightly for a moment.

"I…think it's giving me a wedgie." He replied, but shrugged. "Other than that, it's alright, I guess."

The technician across from him offered a smile, and then gestured towards the hallway. "Project E's testing facility is close. Not long to go."

Shinji simply nodded, and followed Makoto, as he led the boy down to the labs.

"Hey…" The boy murmured, behind him.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think…my…father…will be there?" Shinji asked, slowly and carefully. Makoto couldn't guess the reason for such a tone, but he nodded, regardless.

"I think so. This is the first time both Unit One and Unit Two have been activated. He'll want to be there to oversee everything." The technician offered.

"I see." Shinji replied, and then quieted down.

The two turned a corner, but stopped at the sight of both Captain Katsuragi and Asuka. Both Misato and the newly minted Second Child had opposite expressions on their faces – the older woman bore a poorly hidden smug grin, while the redhead beside her seemed like she wanted to murder someone. She too was clad in a plugsuit, and Makoto caught himself staring at the hard angles of muscle, unfitting of a girl of that size and age.

"Hey!" Asuka called out, and Makoto flinched, drawing back slightly beside Shinji, watching as the redhead began to fume.

"I'm not wearing this thing for you to gawk, I'm wearing it because I have to!" The girl's embarrassment shone through her words, although it dampened somewhat as her eyes moved to Shinji.

After a second or so of silence, her features were split with a grin.

"Well, at least I'm not alone in this, 'Third Child'." Asuka spoke the title jokingly, watching as her friend's own smile emerged.

* * *

The two groups found themselves walking to the laboratories together, Makoto and Misato walking ahead while Shinji and Asuka chattered behind.

"Your one looks far cooler." Asuka whispered, glancing over Shinji's new attire. The boy furrowed his brow, looking back at the girl.

"But I thought you liked red clothes. Nearly every shirt you own is red."

The girl shook her head, then gestured to herself. "I like red, but not when it's _this_ tight."

Shinji's eyes followed Asuka's movements unconsciously, and out of nowhere, he realised he was staring at her chest, at the emerging curves of her body. A light blush rose to his cheeks, and he swallowed, before looking straight ahead.

_Okay, that was weird. That was just…that._

It wasn't like Shinji hadn't seen Asuka in a state of undress before – the two made a habit of hanging around a waterfall near the dojo whenever they'd had free time. They'd even gone swimming – in shirts and shorts, of course. Then again, for the past year or so, his friend had been a little awkward about heading there to relax.

_I guess it's because we're both growing up. Does this mean that things might change? Between me and her? Because I like the way things are now. They don't need to change._

"Hey. Hey, Shinji?"

Shinji shook his head slightly, and turned back to his friend with a small smile. "Sorry, I was distracted for a moment."

"No kidding…" The redhead replied, with a subdued smile of her own. "This…is…it's something else." She glanced around the harsh metal corridors, and then at the door at the end of the corridor which the group was approaching.

Beside her, Shinji made a small noise of agreement, before returning to his thoughts.

_I guess I've just never seen Asuka…that way. She's a friend. _

_Will I ever see her that way? _

The boy's gaze returned to his friend. Their eyes met for a moment, before Asuka looked ahead. Shinji did as well, and he realised they were at the door, watching as it slid open and allowed Makoto and Misato through.

Slowly, the two moved into the room beyond, and looked around. Asuka spied the technician she'd talked with earlier that morning – Maya, she believed – and noticed that the woman seemed more than a little tired.

Doctor Akagi was beside her, leaning over to inspect a few of the monitors, and then glanced up, staring out of the large window in front of the technicians and computers.

However, what drew Shinji's attention was the presence of Commander Ikari, who himself was standing next to the window, simply staring out of it.

The two children were somewhat apprehensive to enter any further – for their own separate reasons, but when Misato glanced back to make sure they were still near her, the two quickly approached. By this time, they'd drawn more than a few gazes, and Ritsuko moved over to the group, nodding to Misato and Makoto, before she turned to Shinji and Asuka.

"You seem comfortable enough." The doctor mused, her tone neutral, looking the two of them over before she motioned for Maya. The mousy assistant handed the bottle-blonde something, and Asuka tilted her head in curiosity, as Ritsuko turned back around.

Two pairs of polished plastic pods, one red, the other white, each pair connected by a wire-thin hairband.

"These are Interface Headsets. You'll need them in addition to the plugsuits." Ritsuko intoned, handing the red set to Asuka, and the white to Shinji. For a moment, they seemed to fiddle with the new items aimlessly, before managing to put them on.

The wire portion obscured by the hair, it almost appeared as if the two were wearing bizarre cat ears.

The doctor in front of them just seemed to watch, then spoke when the two had finished fiddling with the headsets.

"We'll get started as soon as possible. Shinji, you'll need to take the door on the right…" Ritsuko indicated a metal door to the far right of the room, and then an opposite one on the far left. "Asuka, you'll move through the one on the left. The technical crews will help you from there."

Without anything else, the doctor moved back to her consoles and monitors, and Asuka and Shinji were left by themselves, until Misato came over. The captain glanced at the two of them, and then moved to speak, but stopped, as if the words were difficult to say. Finally, after a few seconds, she spoke, her voice quiet and almost inaudible above all the talking and whirring of computers.

"Look, I…I realise this is strange. And difficult, for the both of you. I mean, this is really…this isn't natural, all of this." Misato made a small gesture, indicating the room around them, and whatever lay beyond the large window. She took a moment to inhale, then continued. "If you need a helping hand, or…anything, you can trust me. It's the least I can do."

For a moment, nothing was said – but it was Asuka who spoke first. "…If there is anything." The redhead echoed, faintly, before her lips curled into a smile. "We will. Thanks." Beside her, Shinji nodded, and smiled as well. Misato returned the nod, and then looked back at the assembled technicians, and Ritsuko.

"Well, they're all waiting on you. Good luck." Misato said, her tone somewhat lighter than before, her smile small, but a smile nonetheless.

Asuka turned to Shinji, and the two of them managed to grin at each other for a moment, before they brought their left hands up, curled them into fists, and bumped them together.

"See you on the other side, baka." The girl said, with a small chuckle, and then turned, heading swiftly for the door on the far left side of the room.

Watching as Asuka moved over to the door, then disappeared behind it, Shinji took a deep breath, and then moved to his own door on the right. He stopped in front of it, and turned slightly, gazing over at his father, who was still beside the window.

The commander seemed to realise he was being watched, and his eyes moved to meet Shinji's. The gaze was held for only a second, before the boy quickly moved through the door, and away from the man.

* * *

Asuka moved down the metal walkway, and with barely hidden trepidation, looked at the crimson behemoth only a hundred feet away from her.

_Evangelion Unit Two._

She took the sight in, noticed how it was hunched over slightly, despite being mounted on the monolithic walls of the testing chamber.

Following the instructions of the workers on hand to direct her towards the Evangelion, Asuka moved down the catwalk, noticing that her path led her towards the back of its neck, specifically a long, tubular capsule protruding from it.

The redhead paused as she came to the ladder beneath the capsule, gazing up at it.

Slowly, she took one rung after the other, and when she was high enough to move into the capsule, peered in. There appeared to be some kind of pilot's seat – along with a pair of elaborate-looking levers, which the girl presumed to be some kind of controls.

Asuka leaned forward, as if to move in, but hesitated at the last second.

The image of her mother, eyes blank and expression slack, flashed through her mind, and the girl swallowed, clutching the ladder tightly. Before she began to move back down, the sound of activity on the other side of the massive room drew her attention, and she looked over.

Shinji, flanked by a few workers, was advancing to the white and red giant opposite Eva Unit Two.

Asuka drew in a breath, and then looked back into the capsule.

_If Shinji can do it, so can I._

Clambering into the capsule, the redhead moved around and slid into the seat, wriggling slightly to get comfortable.

_At least the seat's kind of padded._

She flinched sharply as the capsule's hatch closed loudly behind her, swallowing and focusing straight ahead. With little else to do, Asuka moved her hands towards the controls, a hand wrapping around each one.

_See? Nothing to it._

Out of nowhere, what seemed to be a holographic window of light emerged near the left wall of the capsule, and the girl flinched again, much to her displeasure.

_I really need to calm down, or I will mess something up._

The window changed colour for a moment, before displaying the face of Misato, a curious expression on her face.

"You alright in there?" The captain asked, one eyebrow raised. "Your heart's beating pretty fast."

"Fine." Asuka replied.

Misato didn't reply, and the window disappeared. The girl narrowed her eyes, then glanced down to the front of the capsule as a noise like water rushing reached her ears. Her expression blanched as she realised an amber-coloured liquid of some kind was filling the capsule, and instinctively, she drew back in the seat, eyes widening.

The holographic window reappeared, and it was Ritsuko, this time, who spoke.

"Remain calm. This is LCL, an oxygenated liquid. It's necessary for the synchronisation to take place." Her voice was clinical, cool, almost as if she was narrating a documentary and not watching a teenage girl squirm.

The liquid reached past Asuka's ankles, and the redhead shivered. "It's cold."

"It'll warm up."

As the LCL reached her waist, the girl caught herself holding her breath.

"Breathe normally. It'll be easier if you don't hold your breath." The doctor said, and Asuka had to fight the impulse to shake her head, because _no, she didn't want to, it was up to her neck now, and it was liquid so she would surely drown, she'd drown and why did it smell like blood–_

The liquid rushed into her mouth, and for one brief, terrible moment, the girl began to retch and choke. However, as quickly as the liquid had made itself known, it had almost seemed to disappear equally as fast.

Asuka dared to breathe, and it was like she was out in the open air. A great sigh of relief escaped her, and she collapsed back into her seat.

"Good. We'll begin the synchronisation now." Ritsuko's voice echoed out then disappeared, along with the hologram.

Staring ahead, the girl watched as the capsule around her began to flash, began to glimmer with a hundred thousand different colours she couldn't name, but yet somehow could.

Something tickled at the back of her neck, and suddenly, she _felt_.

It was almost as if she had become the Evangelion – her fists clenched slowly, and so did Unit Two's. She could feel the strange, flexible yet metallic texture of its massive hands, and her eyes widened as she gazed ahead, watching how the walls of the capsule had seemed to vanish - and were now replaced with a view of the other behemoth in front of her, as well as the room at large.

"This is incredible…" Asuka murmured, without even realising it.

Misato's face reappeared next to her, with a wide grin on her face. "You're doing great, Asuka! You too, Shinji!"

Across from her, the white-plated Evangelion seemed to shift slightly in its position, and Shinji's face appeared below Misato's.

"So…what do you need us to do?" The boy asked, his voice quiet.

"Just take it easy. We need to get a few readings, and then that's it for today." Misato said, before her window blinked out of existence.

Asuka looked over at Shinji's window, watching as he returned her glance.

"Um…wow." The redhead spoke, before letting out a nervous laugh. "Wow, this is weird." Shinji laughed as well, seeming somewhat at ease, most likely due to the fact that she was as well.

"So, she wants us to relax?" The boy finally replied, five seconds later. Asuka shrugged, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm just going to meditate." The girl mused, and Shinji nodded. "Good idea." He murmured, before his face disappeared from her view.

With a sigh, Asuka finally relaxed.

_I guess I didn't really have anything to be worried about. At least for today…_

With nothing else to focus on, the girl looked inwards. Her eyes closed, and she inhaled. As she had done countless times before, she looked into herself, calming mind and body, until she could only feel the steady, reliable pulse of her ki, her _hado_. It was strong, warm, powerful.

_Like me._

Asuka smirked, eyes still closed.

* * *

Maya's eyes widened as she looked at the display. The brunette then leaned over to check another monitor, to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Sempai!" The technician called out. "Akagi-sempai!"

Behind her, Ritsuko approached, one eyebrow raised. "What is it, Maya?"

The technician could only gesture at the screen, and the doctor leaned in to get a better look. When she did, she gasped, drawing Misato's gaze.

The captain tilted her head in interest, noticing that the Commander was looking as well.

"What is it?" Misato asked, moving nearer to Ritsuko, who stood up slowly, gazing out the window at the two Evangelion Units.

"It's their synchronisation ratios…"

"What about them?" Misato asked, shrugging. "We knew they'd be low, they always are, at the start –"

"No, it's…" Ritsuko cut the captain off, but her own voice drifted after a few moments, as she struggled to process the impossibility of the situation. "Shinji and Asuka's synchronisation ratios…are eighty-one percent and seventy-nine percent respectively."

* * *

**The plot loosens. Hopefully I can keep the updates quick and constant! Please, please review! **


	9. Episode 2 - Proving Grounds - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Two years ago._

* * *

Shinji sniffed for a moment – his nose itched. This portion of the dojo always seemed to be full of dust, no matter how many times Senzo cleaned it. He shifted for a moment, tightening the belt of his gi. Beside him, Asuka sat back, with her gloves removed, contrasting with the boy's kneeling position.

The redhead moved to say something to him, but before she could, the dojo doors slid open, revealing Gouken.

Abruptly, Asuka sat up and shuffled into a kneeling position, trying and failing to discreetly pull her gloves on. Shinji glanced between her and his master, who seemed to be smirking slightly as he walked in front of them.

The two children bowed their heads to Gouken, who nodded. He stood tall and proud in front of the two, his blue gi pulled tight around his muscled form. The master's expression was warm – his smile and eyes were bright.

"You two have come such a long way in such a short time – I cannot tell you how proud I am." Gouken said, his smile only widening as he looked at his children. "And now," he continued, "I believe it is time to progress to the next stage of your training."

Both Shinji and Asuka straightened up slightly, their faces lighting up. It was Asuka who spoke first, her voice high, young, and excited.

"You mean it's time for the Sho…"

Gouken held out a hand, to silence the girl.

"Yes, Asuka. It's time." He replied, with a touch of laughter in his tone. He then looked to Shinji, noticing the boy's subdued but still very present smile as well.

"Well…we might as well get started." The master said, his smile flattening into a more collected, serious expression.

The two in front of him also settled down, their gazes locked upon him.

"As you know, Ansatsuken style teaches three principal techniques." Gouken began. His rigid posture then shifted, as he moved into a stance.

Shinji and Asuka watched as he span with speed and grace, his right leg fully extended and raised just above his waist.

"_Tatsumaki Senpukyaku_."

Gouken lapsed back into stance, then span again, slower. As he did, he raised his right knee to his waist, and extended his arm towards the ceiling, in front of his face.

"_Shoryuken_."

Slipping back into stance again, Gouken drew both his hands to his right side, bending slightly at the waist, and then pushed his palms forward, his left above his right.

"And _Hadoken_."

Already, this small demonstration seemed to have both Shinji and Asuka watching with rapturous gazes - Gouken fought hard to restrain another smile.

"However, these techniques are ineffective without a key component – _hado_. By channelling our _ki_, the energy of our bodies, we produce the power necessary to make these attacks powerful."

The raven-haired master stepped forward, gazing down at the two. He noticed how Shinji's eyes shone with unanswered questions, and he looked at the boy.

"Yes, Shinji?"

The boy's tone was quiet, yet firm and inquisitive. "But how do we channel _hado_, sensei?"

Gouken laughed quietly, then spoke.

"So eager. You will learn to produce and manipulate _hado_ by using _Muno Hado_, the Power of Nothingness. By detaching from the world around you, you will become aware of the flow of your _ki_. After that, you will practice willing your _ki_ around your body, until you can surge and manipulate it at will."

This time, it was Asuka who had a question, and she tilted her head in curiosity.

"How do we detach? I mean, it just seems like a lot of effort just to hit someone."

Normally, such a question would have brought a raised eyebrow and a stern comment from Gouken, but an idea had already sprung to mind.

"A lot of effort, you say?" The master replied, with a sly grin. "Very well, then. Follow me."

He beckoned his two students up from the floor, and moved to the doors of the dojo, sliding them open. He stepped out onto the porch, and then onto the sandy ground of outdoors.

Asuka and Shinji stood up slowly, both mystified as they followed their master out into the outdoors training area.

"Now, Asuka. Since you were the one who asked…pick one of the three training dummies over there." Gouken said, indicating a row of wooden, cross-like figures bound with rope.

"Huh?" The girl quirked one eyebrow, confused.

"Pick one."

Asuka's expression fell slightly, as she looked towards her master.

"I'm sorry for speaking out of turn, sensei, but do I have to do drills? I was only –"

"Pick one now. Or do I have to pick one for you?" Gouken asked, turning back towards the young redhead. She stepped back slightly, swallowing.

"Okay…the one in the middle, I guess."

The master smirked, eyes locking with the dummy Asuka had chosen.

"Now…" he said, voice somewhat quiet. "Watch closely."

As Gouken had done before in the demonstration, he drew his hands to his right side, but kept his palms apart.

There was a rush of air, and then an orb of blue light blossomed between them, pulsing brightly.

Asuka's jaw dropped, along with Shinji's.

The light quickly increased in size, seeming to force Gouken's hands apart for a moment, before he pushed back, compressing it to a somewhat smaller scale. The light hummed with power, flares of bright blue energy wafting from it.

"_Hadoken_!"

With Gouken's shout, he pushed his palms forward, and the orb of energy flew straight at the training dummy, blasting it apart into a mess of sawdust and splinters.

For a moment, all was silent. Then, a shrill voice shouted out.

"That was totally awesome!" Asuka whooped, expression ecstatic, as she looked between Gouken and the remains of the training dummy. The master turned back to her, with a smug smile.

"Well, is it worth the effort?" He asked, watching as the girl nodded up and down ferociously.

With a small chuckle, he then glanced at Shinji, who also bore a wide smile. The boy nodded to his master, his eyes shining.

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Inside of Eva Unit One, Shinji Ikari smiled, eyes closed. His _ki_ flowed over him in refreshing, cool waves, an unmovable and strong presence within.

"Shinji?"

"Mm?" The boy opened one eye, and looked towards his side. Misato's face gazed back at him from inside a hologram, and he sat back, blinking and opening both eyes.

"Captain Katsuragi. Is something the matter?"

"No, no." Misato shook her head, offering a slight smile. "Actually, things are surprisingly good. But we've gotten everything we need for now."

"Oh."

"So, you can come out now. Meet us back in the control booth, okay?" The captain's face blinked out of existence after she had finished speaking, and Shinji let out a sigh, leaning forward in his chair.

He looked ahead, and there was something of a tingling in the back of his mind as the view of Eva Unit Two ahead of him vanished into darkness. The sensation of feeling that had come with synchronisation with the Eva had vanished, and it left Shinji feeling strangely bereft.

_It was strange…even a little scary. But for some reason, I felt comfortable. At ease._

There was a gurgling sound, and the boy looked around, realising that the LCL around him was beginning to drain.

Above him, the entry hatch unlocked with a sharp metallic noise, and he looked up as light flooded into the capsule.

* * *

Gendo watched with interest as both the Second Child and his son were helped out of the Entry Plugs by the attending technical crews.

Their synchronisation ratios had been no small surprise – and Doctor Akagi had offered little explanation.

_Perhaps that man did teach them something useful, after all. Was there anything else to him, to his dojo and his promises? I wonder._

His ruminations came to a stop as he spied Akagi approaching him, and he shifted slightly, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Has there been anything else?" The commander inquired. his gaze stony behind his tinted glasses. Across from him, the Project E head slumped slightly.

"It's completely unexplained. All of our predictions and simulations implied that synchronisation ratios would only be nominally higher than what Rei began with." The bottle blonde shook her head, and glanced out of the window, watching both the Third and the Second approach from their respective catwalks.

"Nevertheless, it is beneficial. Their performance with EVA can only be improved." Gendo mused, an imperceptible confidence in his voice. The doctor narrowed her gaze, in response.

"That's true, yes…and with further study, we may be able to learn more, maybe even boost Rei's synchronisation with Unit Zero…but with the higher level of synchronisation, there comes a higher risk of psychological contamination." She warned.

"Your concerns are noted." The commander replied, sharply, and turned on his heel, his gaze on the door leading out of the room and back into the main NERV complex.

"Sir…" Akagi's voice was almost a whisper behind him. Gendo glanced back, eyes questioning.

"Will you be needing…my presence tonight?" The doctor asked, seeming somewhat timid – she always did. However, she seemed to slacken somewhat whenever the man facing her shook his head, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

"No. There are more important matters to focus on. I want you to spend any free time you have examining these synchronisation scores further – we cannot afford to lose potential victories against the Angels."

"Of course not, Sir." The doctor said, looking down at her feet.

As Gendo disappeared from the room, Shinji and Asuka entered from their separate doors, dripping LCL behind them. The boy stopped for a moment, watching as his father vanished from the room without a word.

With an unreadable expression, he moved back towards Misato, who was near Maya, examining the results of the test.

Asuka took the time to wring out her ponytail, visibly grimacing as a puddle of orange liquid began to form beneath her. With a mumbled Germanic curse, she too headed for Misato, who straightened up, turning to face both her and Shinji.

"Well done, the both of you." The captain began, with a warm smile. "The readings we got were excellent."

Misato watched as both of them reacted to the praise – Shinji seemed to reflexively bow slightly, while Asuka only grinned, crossing her arms. Inwardly, Misato was pleased that the two had seemed to loosen up around her – the successful test had probably helped.

However, there was still a matter to be brokered. She had offered to let them stay at her apartment – which was definitely large enough to accommodate them. Misato only needed to make sure.

"For the rest of the day, you two are both free." The captain began, but she struggled to make her next words seem as unassuming as possible. "You were originally set to stay here, on the base, but personally…"

She broke off, watching how the two children looked at her with interest, Asuka more so than Shinji, who remained reserved and inconspicuous. Exhaling, Misato continued. "I personally believe that a more relaxed environment could really, _really_ help you two."

"Yeah, you offered, right?" Asuka asked, her manner a little blunt. Misato paused, before nodding.

The redhead smiled in reply. "I think that'd be alright. Thanks."

Letting out a breath, Misato let herself return the smile. "My pleasure."

Beside Asuka, Shinji bowed somewhat, his eyes hidden by his fringe. "Thank you, Captain." He said, his voice still formal and reserved, if not a little looser.

"I think 'Misato' will do, when we're at home. Can't be all tall salutes and polished boots all the time…" The woman chuckled, and the boy seemed to brighten up somewhat.

"I just need to get everything sorted out with the brass, and then we'll head over to my apartment. Hope you didn't unpack."

* * *

They had not. After the two had showered and changed back into normal clothes, Misato had made a quick phone call to get the matter of Shinji and Asuka's new accommodation straightened out. With that, the new trio were on their way back to the NERV garages, the Captain thankfully navigating the unforgiving corridors of the complex with a degree of ease.

She listened as Shinji and Asuka debated about something, and noticed that their voices weren't nearly as muted as they had been previously when the two had been around her.

_Guess they're getting more comfortable with me._

Allowing herself a small moment of pride, Misato turned the corner, and then let out a grunt as she bumped into someone taller than her. Stepping back, she inwardly groaned when she realised who it was.

Just short of six feet, with long, scraggly brown hair tied back into a ponytail, the new arrival looked down at Misato with narrowed brown eyes. His chin and forehead were prominent and wide, and his lips were pursed. He was dressed in a suit and tie, and there was a poorly hidden bulge in his jacket indicating a holstered weapon.

"Captain Katsuragi." The man said, his voice strangely terse.

Behind Misato, Asuka and Shinji exchanged quizzical glances, watching the scene.

"Mind telling me what you're doing with these two kids? Nothing unnatural, nothing that might pose a threat to the security of NERV?" The man spoke with an air of arrogance around him, as he moved closer to Misato, with armed crossed.

"No, nothing unnatural." The woman ground out, meeting the man's gaze with a degree of irritation. "I was simply transporting the Eva Pilots to their new accommodation."

Upon the mention of the Pilots, the man peered around Misato, and then almost seemed to leap forward, coming to a stop in front of Asuka and Shinji.

He bowed slightly, and then almost seemed to sneer down at the two children.

The man introduced himself with a proud voice, and a confident grin. "Captain Dan Hibiki. I'm the head honcho of NERV-Section Two. I run the security details all around this place. Pleasure to meet ya."

Across from him, Asuka and Shinji looked at each other, before the redhead replied, sceptical.

"Uh-huh. Nice to meet you."

"Now…" Dan continued, failing to pick up on the unimpressed tone in Asuka's voice. "Since you're so high-priority, I can personally guarantee nothing is gonna happen to you on my watch. I'm a crack shot, and a master martial artist. Nothing's getting past me!" The man smirked. Behind him, Misato rolled her eyes.

_Except social cues._

"Anyhow, it was great to meet you, but I have to go. NERV isn't going to protect itself!" With an energetic thumbs-up, Dan turned on his heel, and swiftly strode past them, humming a tune to himself.

Shinji's eyes followed him for a moment, before looking back at Misato. The boy offered a slightly unsure smile, before speaking. "He seems…ernest."

"He seems like he's got his head up his ass…" Asuka mumbled, beside him. Misato nodded, slowly.

"Believe me, you're not far off." The woman replied, with a sigh. "We're close to the garage now. Hungry?"

The two children nodded eagerly.

"Starving." The redhead replied.

* * *

**And a little more character development, before we really get into the action. Hope you're enjoying the story so far. I blasted this thing out in two hours - just for you. Because I love you.**

**Platonically.**

**Read and review, please!**


	10. Episode 2 - Proving Grounds - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

With little traffic on the road to obscure her path, Misato weaved through the Tokyo-3 streets at a fairly quick but controlled speed. Driving had always been one of her favourite hobbies, and she liked to indulge it whenever possible.

A small snort of laughter caught her attention from the back seat, and she slowed down reflexively, glancing in the mirror.

Shinji didn't appear to be handling her normal driving pace very well – he was rigid, his eyes wide, and his hands securely wrapped around his seatbelt, as if he could somehow pull it tighter around him. Next to the boy, Asuka chuckled.

With her own small grin, Misato continued to wheel through the city, wondering where she and the children could get a quick meal before returning home. Something simple would do – maybe a ramen stand or pizzeria could cater to their needs.

Almost as if on cue, a fast-food restaurant with the word 'PIZZA' flashing through the window via a gratuitous neon sign came into view, and Misato began to slow down.

"Feel like pizza?" The woman called back to the children behind her, who looked forward.

"Feel like fatty cheese, bloated base, and sugary tomato paste, coupled with unhealthy processed toppings?" Shinji said, his voice and expression incredulous, before Asuka leaned over and clapped a hand over his mouth.

With a cheery expression, the redhead turned to face the front.

"He means yes."

* * *

Thankfully, there was no queue to speak of, and Misato, Shinji and Asuka found themselves sitting outside, with a steaming, freshly cooked pizza on a table in front of them. Both the redhead and the older woman ate without hesitation, but Shinji seemed to be engaged in a stare-off with his own slice of pizza, almost as if he was trying to figure out some secret hidden in the food.

Misato gave him an odd stare, and the girl beside her leaned in to elaborate quietly.

"Shinji's always stuck to a rigid diet, during his training. Only time he ever really eats stuff like this is on the holidays, and even then he's working it off the next day." Asuka explained. The woman nodded slowly, watching as the boy in front of her finally brought the food to his mouth and took a rather hearty bite.

It wasn't long before he was eating with as much gusto as his two companions, and as the pizza disappeared, slice by slice, Misato found her mind wandering.

_They seem to be getting on well enough…they handled their first activation test excellently. And the results were amazing, as well. _

_But what will happen once they actually go into battle? What will they do when they see an Angel for the first time?_

_Come to think of it, what will I do? What will any of us do…except pray that we're strong enough to repel whatever these things throw at us?_

"You alright?"

Asuka's voice brought Misato out of her somewhat pessimistic train of thought, and she nodded briefly, forcing a small smile as she leaned in to grab her last slice of pizza.

"We'll head home soon…" The woman began, watching as the two children nodded, still occupied with their meal. "I only moved in two weeks ago, so it's still a little…messy. That alright?"

"No problem." Asuka replied.

"Yeah." Shinji mumbled.

* * *

"Holy **shit**!" Asuka cursed, as Misato led them into her apartment. Expansive and modern as it was, it was for all intents and purposes a landfill in a sea of apartments. Tied trashbags, empty cardboard boxes and discarded plastic containers littered the floor, while across the surfaces of tables and shelves, empty cans of Yebisu brand beer and bottles of various liquors sat.

Shinji's eyebrow twitched.

As both of the children stared into the dumpster/apartment hybrid, Misato practicaly danced past them, heading into another room. The woman called back to them as she disappeared into a corridor.

"Sorry about the mess! Make yourselves at home!"

Slowly, Shinji inched closer to Asuka, until he almost appeared to cower behind her.

"Asuka?" His voice came, timid and quiet.

"Yes?"

"I think the Captain is a drunkard and a layabout."

The redhead sighed and rolled her eyes. "Obviously. I guess being all uptight at NERV is a little too much sometimes – wait, _what_ are you doing?"

Shinji had moved past her, walking into the eye of the storm, standing between the mighty messes that dwarfed the furniture and décor of the room. With the speed and dedication of a man possessed, the boy began to clean.

And boy, could he clean.

Ten years of chores around the dojo showed as Shinji quickly made space in half-full bags for the beer cans and discarded boxes, and tossed the items into the bags with formidable precision and speed.

In the midst of it all, Asuka had tiptoed her way past the mess, and was sat on the couch, letting out a brave yawn as her companion continued to clear the disordered apartment. Scratching the back of her neck, the redhead looked over, watching as Shinji hurled a wad of sodden cardboard into a nearby bag.

"Hey, baka."

"Huh?" Shinji murmured, still focused on the task at hand. However, the distraction was enough to cause his fingers to fumble slightly, and a few of the beer cans he had been herding off the shelves began to topple.

The boy quickly lashed out, fists and feet whipping around and sending the tin cans into opened bags around the apartment.

"Nice." Asuka murmured, crossing her legs. "Listen, Shinji…when they…activated your EVA, did you feel anything strange?" Even though the test had went flawlessly, a small part of her was still somewhat shaken at the fact that she had actually stepped inside such a machine.

Shinji paused, then turned back to face his friend. "Not really…" He began, frowning slightly. "I think I felt…_something_…at the back of my mind, like a tickle, but after that…I mean, isn't feeling like you're a giant robot strange enough?" He laughed quietly, and Asuka conceded with a smile and a shrug.

"Guess you're right. Sorry."

"It's alright." The boy replied. Finally finishing up, he tied the last of the bags, and then with almost terrifying strength, lugged no less than all five of the bags over his shoulder. Making a beeline for the door, he pressed the button with his foot, slithering out to dispose of the trash.

Sighing, his companion leaned back against the couch, gazing up at the ceiling. The sound of bare feet on the floor told her Misato was coming back, and she looked towards the corridor, watching as the Captain walked out, her hair tied back and wearing more casual attire – a worn yellow tank top and extremely short shorts.

She stopped short, looking around the now spotless room. There was a strange look on the woman's face – as though she didn't recognise the apartment around her.

"Where…but how…what?" Misato mumbled, her eyes wide.

"Shinji." Asuka replied, half-heartedly.

"What?" The woman murmured, still somewhat confused.

By chance, the boy in question happened to come in at that exact moment, and he rolled his shoulder slightly, wincing imperceptibly. As soon as he looked up, however, Misato was upon him.

Picking up Shinji in a bear hug, Misato grinned, her voice loud and grateful.

"I can't believe you did this! Thank you!"

The boy attempted to reply, but he could not – for his face was pressed to the Captain's ample bosom.

With a small, nervous laugh, she released Shinji, watching as he stumbled back with blinking eyes and reddened cheeks. He slowly moved a hand through his hair, swallowing and attempting to ascertain what exactly had just happened.

"Nice. You broke him."

Asuka's voice came from the couch, and almost machinelike, he turned around, plodding past the table and sitting down beside her, still staring ahead with a dazed expression.

Misato shifted awkwardly on the spot for a moment, before finally speaking again. "Well…now that the mess is taken care of…want to see where you'll be sleeping?"

The two on the couch looked up in some interest, and then nodded together, rising to follow Misato as she walked down the corridor, stopping at the first door to the left.

"Alright, we have two rooms free. First come, first served!" The woman said, cheerily, looking at the two. The children simply glanced at each other quizzically, before Shinji spoke.

"Why do we need two rooms? One'll be fine."

Misato raised her eyebrows at the reply, and then thought for a moment, as if there was something important that she was missing. Then, it hit her, and her eyes widened, before she spoke, her voice high and shocked.

"_What?_ You mean, you two – you – sleep –"

"We sleep together? Yes, why?" Shinji replied, dubious.

Beside him, Asuka groaned, her left palm coming up to hide her face. Meanwhile, Misato's expression grew increasingly incredulous.

"I can't believe – seriously? You're pretty young, I mean…"

The redhead cut off Misato's shocked sputtering, holding up a hand.

"What this _baka_ means to say, is that we've shared a room for a long while. Two separate futons, in case you were wondering." Asuka shot Shinji an exasperated expression, and the woman in front of them watched as the boy drew in on himself slightly, seeming somewhat ashamed at his mistake.

"Oh, well." The Captain let out a breath, and looked back into the room, somewhat empty save for a set of drawers and a futon. "You'll have your own rooms to yourselves, now. How's that?"

Both of the children seemed a little thoughtful at the new prospect, but nodded their heads eventually, Shinji a few moments after Asuka.

"Alright, then. Take your pick!" Misato said, her grin returning.

"I call dibs." The redhead immediately strode into the room in front of them, glancing around.

"Looks like you're down the hall, Shinji." The woman said, to the boy beside him. With a nod, a small bow, and a brief thanks, he disappeared through the door a few meters away from Asuka's newly claimed one.

The rest of the day passed by quickly. The children spent their time unpacking, making themselves feel at home – Misato had peeked into Shinji's room, after noticing the door was ajar, and watched as the boy hung up his well-worn gi with something akin to reverence. His red gloves were placed on the small table next to his bed.

With a small smile, Misato moved away, leaving him to his own devices. The hours went by, and after a small supper cobbled together from whatever she had in the fridge, the trio all retired to their separate rooms.

* * *

_The rain was warm and refreshing, and Shinji basked in it, despite the fact that it plastered his white gi and brown hair to his skin. He exhaled, slowly, looking at the wooded lands around him._

_There was a snap of twigs, a rustle of leaves, and he spun on the spot, searching for the source of the sound. He found it in front of him – a form that seemed human, felt human. _

_Even though he was several metres away, Shinji could feel the warmth and love that emanated from the person, and instinctively, he gravitated towards it. As he approached, the form seemed to define itself. He noticed how it seemed to be feminine, with a somewhat narrow waist, and wider hips. _

_He stopped, only a few metres away from the figure now, noticing the soft brown hair, cut into a bob, and the greyish blue of their eyes. _

_Shinji reached out, then flinched as the figure before him seemed to contort. The height of the form decreased, and the eyes and hair changed, the blue turning to crimson, and the brown hair bleaching to an unnatural, washed out colour, almost blue._

_With smooth, practiced motions, the figure drew its hands to its side, a ball of golden light bursting into life between the palms. Before Shinji could do anything, the Hadoken was in flight, aimed for him. His years of training taking over, he quickly summoned one of his own, and blasted the orb of blue ki forward._

"_Hadoken!"_

_The two bursts of hado met in the middle between them, and Shinji covered his face with his arms as a wave of warm, almost scalding energy washed over him. His eyes flickering open again, he looked around – he was no longer in the wood. _

_All around him, was darkness – an abyss, save for a circle of light, of which he stood in the middle. _

_Around Shinji, a tiger paced, the lone source of light sending a gleam through its strange, silver fur. It began to approach him, and the boy noticed that the beast was missing its right eye – only one eye, the same bright crimson as the eyes he'd seen before, stared back at him. _

_The beast paused a few feet away from him._

_Curiously, Shinji moved closer to the animal, extending a hand towards it. He watched as it moved closer, began to lick at it and nuzzle in supplication. With a soft smile, he moved closer to the tiger – then let out a yell as it tackled him to the ground, its claws sinking into his chest, shredding the cloth of his gi and the muscle of his chest._

_Gazing up at the beast with pained eyes, Shinji could only close them again as it moved for his head, its teeth aiming to finish the job._

* * *

Shinji awoke with a start, clutching his chest. His breathing was fast, and heavy, and, almost panicked, he stood up, the blanket falling off of him.

Unfamiliar ceiling. Again.

Slowly, his breathing slowed, and he let out a sigh, glancing down at his watch. With a start, he realised it was almost nine AM – _Gouken-sensei wouldn't like that he'd slept in –_

Except he wasn't at the dojo, anymore. It was still something of a difficult concept to get used to.

He shook his head for a moment, as if he could force the strange dream from his mind, and then moved for the window, pulling the curtains open. The morning light shone into the room, illuminating it, and he blinked repeatedly as his eyes adjusted.

Scratching his bare chest, Shinji moved to find a shirt – he felt a little exposed in simple cotton shorts, and after plucking out a simple white vest, slipped into it and stepped out into the hall. As he moved into the main room and kitchen, he spotted Misato sitting at the table, still dressed in her casual clothes, and was about to speak, to say good morning, but her cellphone rang.

Drawing back slightly, he watched as the woman plucked it from the table, and held it to her ear.

* * *

"This is Katsuragi."

"Captain? It's Hyuga. We have something on the radar."

Misato frowned, and replied. "Something's a little vague, Makoto. Care to elaborate?"

The voice on the other end quickly responded, seeming a little rushed and agitated. "I wish I could. We do know one thing though – whatever it is, it's Pattern Blue."

The woman's eyes widened, the colour seeming to drain from her face in an instant.

_Misato is a child again, and the Antarctic is turning to hell on earth around her. _

_She watches as her father places her into an escape capsule, watches the hatch seal shut. _

_She feels the wound on her torso scream, feels the shockwave that slams into the pod and sends it into the chilling waters. _

Misato stood up in a flash, the chair falling back onto the floor with a loud clack. After a moment, she responded, her voice perfectly level.

"Roger. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

* * *

**And, after more than a few chapters, we're finally back on track with the episodes! For those of you wondering, this is when the real meat of the story will begin, so hopefully you can sit back, and enjoy yourself, in the chapters to come.**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	11. Episode 3 - Round One - Part 1

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Asuka was roused from her pleasant, extended slumber by the sensation of someone shaking her gently by the shoulder. Brow creasing in frustration, the girl moved over in her bed, muttering indecipherable nothings about flowcharts. The shaking stopped for a moment, and then returned, even more intense than before.

The redhead promptly shot up in bed, taking a lazy swing at the person who had dared to interrupt her first lie-in in ten years. The strike was gently blocked, and as her eyes adjusted, she realised it was Shinji.

"Shinji…" The girl groaned, rubbing at her eyes. "What is it?"

Across from her, the boy seemed almost panicked, as he kept glancing from her to the open door of her room.

"Something's happened with Captain Katsu…with Misato. She got a call, I think it was from NERV."

Asuka quirked one eyebrow, and then shrugged. "So? She probably gets calls like that all the time, just basic reports and stuff. Her companion shook his head, in reply.

"No, I don't think it is. She was talking on the phone and…she just seemed to freeze up." Shinji said, quietly. "Then she told me to wake you and get dressed." As he spoke, the girl he faced slowly shuffled off the futon, taking a moment to stretch out.

"Alright. Give me a minute."

Shinji nodded, before moving out of Asuka's room and sliding the door shut behind him.

Alone, the girl took a deep breath, and gazed over to the window, watching the morning light shining through.

_Guess this is it. _

Without any time to lose, she stalked over to her table, and with speed and skill, tied back her hair into a ponytail with the coveted red ribbon she had kept there.

After changing into a red tanktop and blue jeans, with worn white sneakers, Asuka moved out of her room, and headed down the corridor. Ahead of her, she could see Misato, dressed in her work clothes from the previous day, kneeling down, seeming to whisper to the bottom of a large fridge placed near one of the walls.

Silently, the girl moved into the main room, watching as the woman in front of her closed the fridge's bottom door, and turned around, starting slightly at the sight of her.

"Oh, Asuka. You ready?"

Misato's tone was a mix of professional and casual, and there seemed to be an undercurrent of unease behind her words. The redhead simply nodded, glancing back at the corridor as Shinji's footsteps sounded behind her. Dressed plainly as always, he moved beside the girl and looked at Misato, who stood up to her full height.

The woman took a moment to fiddle with the cuff of her red jacket, before inhaling and facing the two children.

"Alright. Let's go."

* * *

Shinji was far too engrossed in thought to let Misato's driving disturb him, even if it was more erratic than usual. Beside him, Asuka sat rigidly, her arms tense and her fingers curling into the fabric of her jeans.

The woman driving the car remained silent, even as she took sharp turns that left the tires squealing, and vicious bouts of acceleration that drew roars from the engine. Her expression was stony, but behind cold, focused eyes lay a storm.

_I just didn't think…that they'd be here so soon. _

_I thought we'd have more time._

"Angels." Misato muttered, nearly inaudible.

"Hmm?" Asuka tilted her head slightly, looking towards the Captain, along with Shinji. "What?"

"Angels." The woman repeated, clearer this time.

"…Misato, what do you mean?" Shinji asked, his voice quiet and tentative.

"That's what we call them. The…" The captain paused, her foot easing back on the gas pedal, before swallowing and speaking again.

"The phone call I received notified me of an incoming Angel. It's what we created the Evangelion Units for – why we brought you here. It's what we brought you here to fight – a hostile alien organism."

The redhead behind her started, stealing a glance at Shinji before focusing on Misato. "You could have told us this earlier, you know. And what do you mean, fight?"

The woman in the front seat shot an icy glare at Asuka, quieting the girl before she could continue.

"What I mean…is that you are going to climb into the EVAs, pilot them, and destroy the Angel before it destroys everything here. That simple enough to understand?" Misato asked, her voice barbed with frustration and stress.

In the midst of it all, Shinji looked between the two, eyes flicking to Misato, then Asuka, then back again. He chewed his lip pensively for a moment, watching as the girl beside him moved forward slightly in her chair, presumably to reply with a sharp comment. He reached out, his hand grazing hers, and she glanced towards him.

Using the distraction, Shinji interjected, hoping he could end this and keep things calm and coherent.

_If these things are dangerous, the last thing we need is a disagreement like this._

"Misato…maybe if you could tell us more about this…'Angel', then we could just figure this out."

Letting out a sigh, the woman driving focused on the road ahead, quickly turning into a Geofront entrance reserved for emergencies.

"…Believe me, I wish I could. We do know that they have obvious, physical form, but we have no way of telling what that form is."

"So we're being sent out to fight something you know next to nothing about?" Asuka interjected, a dark expression on her face. Misato clutched the wheel tighter, as the car sped into a darkened tunnel leading into the Geofront transit lines.

"For all you know, you could be sending us to our deaths!"

The captain sucked in a breath, closing her eyes as the car was clamped into a transit pallet.

"We've only sat in your goddamn robots, we don't know how to fight in them!"

Whirling around, with desperate, frustrated anger in her voice, Misato screamed at the girl.

**"Shut up!"**

Both Asuka and Shinji drew back in their seats, as the woman slumped slightly against the wheel of her car.

"Believe me, I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want to take you from your home, and bring you here!" Misato straightened up, and looked into the mirror with an icy gaze. "But I had to. There was no use whining about it, I did it because it needed to be done! And now, you need to do this."

Her words seemed to have an effect on the girl, because the redhead didn't open her mouth for several minutes afterwards. Shinji too seemed to have been quieted, but most likely out of fear that whatever he said could only worsen an already tense situation.

However, Misato's eyes flew to Shinji, when he slowly went rigid in his seat, like a cat. Gradually, he loosened up again, before leaning over to whisper something to Asuka.

"Do you feel that?"

"What?" The girl murmured, glancing over at him.

"Like a…strange _ki_…in the air."

Asuka seemed to frown for a moment, before her eyes widened.

"Yeah…I can feel it too."

* * *

_It is funny – in a tragic sort of way._

Gendo Ikari watched as the three men in front of him hurled everything they had at the enemy – all of the training and technology that their lives had been spent proving the virtues of – and it achieved nothing. Their ranks, their achievements – all worthless against an opponent such as this.

Across the vast expanse of the command bridge, a titanic screen displayed their target. It towered above buildings, stepping across cars as if they were mere pebbles.

Its obsidian body was hilariously disproportionate – massively broad shoulders contrasted with a minuscule waist. Its arms and legs were rakishly thin, and elongated – while across its thighs and torso, sharp stripes of white, bone-like material snaked.

From both elbows, a long, silver spike projected out, while large, rounded pads of the same bone-like material covered the shoulders, and between them, created a mask of sorts, akin to a bird – a simple circle, with a long, sharp beak bursting out from the bottom.

Two dead, black gaps stood in for whatever eyes the creature had, and in the centre of its chest, cradled by the bone across its torso, nestled a gleaming, smooth red orb.

As it turned to face the camera, a litter of explosions occurred across its form, but it paid them little mind, continuing to walk on.

"Forget about the budget!" One of the generals howled, his grip tightening on a pencil that promptly snapped from the pressure. "Destroy the target at any cost!"

All personnel on the bridge watched as a massive missile, launched from one of the many VTOL attack craft hovering over the city, screamed towards the target. With barely any effort, the creature held up a three fingered hand, catching the cone of the projectile and raking through its length, splitting it up to the booster rockets.

The image was promptly filled with fire and destruction, yet after a few moments, the enemy walked on, undeterred.

Gendo watched as the generals began to fall to pieces in front of him. "Why?" The first on the left roared. "That was a direct hit!"

The first on the right leaned back with a scowl. "The tank battalion's been annihilated. Guided missiles and artillery have no effect either."

The leftmost general, obviously the least composed of the three, slammed his hands against the table. "Damn it! It's taken everything we have! And not even a goddamned scratch!"

Behind Gendo, Kozo Fuyutsuki loomed, hands held behind his back as he observed the scene.

"An AT-Field?" The Vice-Commander inquired, glancing over at his superior.

"Yes. Basic forms of weaponry are nothing to the Angels." Gendo mused, his eyes never leaving the gigantic screen across from him.

To the left of the generals, a red phone rang, and was promptly answered.

"I understand…yes, Sir. We'll execute the contingency at once." The general on the left replied, his wavering voice betraying his lack of composure.

_An N2 weapon. How predictable. _

On screen, the many attack craft buzzing around the Angel pulled back with desperate speed, and a few moments later, the picture was consumed by bright yellows and whites, and the general on the left released a whoop.

"We did it!"

One of the older generals, on the right, turned back to face Gendo and Fuyutsuki. "Sorry, but it looks like we won't be needing you today."

* * *

Whilst Misato turned the wheel, sending the car squealing to a graceful, sliding stop, both Shinji and Asuka unbuckled their seatbelts. In a matter of seconds, all three were already out of the car, and headed towards the central facility. Misato cursed herself for blowing up at Asuka – it would only make things more difficult after this whole mess was over.

_Presuming we even survive it._

Once they were inside, the Captain paused for a moment, before a NERV technician of unassuming height and build appeared, sweating slightly as he dashed towards them. Panting, he straightened up, saluting Misato for a brief moment.

"Captain Katsuragi. Dr. Akagi sent me, she said you might need assistance in getting to the cages."

The woman in front of him ground her teeth.

_Well, isn't that just so kind of her?_

"Then lead the way." Misato replied, bluntly, watching as the technician bowed, before moving back down the corridor he had come from. Following, she didn't see Asuka catch Shinji's arm as he moved to join them.

"Asuka?" The boy turned to face her, with a confused expression. "Asuka, we need to.."

"I know. But…look, whatever happens out there, don't use your _hado_."

Shinji's eyes narrowed. "I don't even know if I can, in that thing. But if I could, why wouldn't I?"

The redhead bristled slightly, glancing back at the retreating forms of Misato and the technician.

"Look, baka. These people, this NERV…it's a bad place. They've got power, and intelligence, and too much curiosity. If we start throwing _hadokens_ at whatever that Angel is, they're gonna go for us, and then go for Gouken-sensei."

At this, her companion's furrowed brow softened slightly in understanding, and he pulled away gently. "I get where you're coming from…but there's a whole city up there. And if the only way we survive is by using our _hado_…"

"Then of course, we'll use it…" Asuka conceded. "But…"

"You two? What the hell? Keep moving!" Misato yelled, frantically beckoning them from the end of the corridor. Without another word to each other, they took off in her direction. As they did, the intercom nestled in the walls and corners of NERV buzzed into life.

**"The N2 attack has failed to destroy the Angel. Repeat, the N2 attack has failed to destroy the Angel."**

* * *

Gendo let a small, triumphant smirk slip as he watched hardened military men go to pieces over the failure of their latest and greatest strategy.

"The Angel appears to have some capacity to regenerate." The Vice-Commander mused, beside him.

"If it didn't, it wouldn't function as an autonomous invasion weapon."

Gasps rang out from the bridge crew as the Angel's black pits of eyes flashed, reducing the camera feed to static in front of them.

"And it also appears to be learning. Evolving." The older man replied, before looking forward as the generals called to the two of them.

"Ikari! Fuyutsuki!"

With nowhere else to go, the two men made their way to the platform beneath them, where the three main bridge technicians sat. The generals looked down on them, and the oldest folded his fingers together, squinting down at the Commander and his second with tired eyes.

"From this point on, command of this operation is entrusted to you. Prove your capabilities."

"Yes, Sir." Gendo replied, tonelessly.

"We must admit that our weaponry has no effect on the target. But…are you sure you can defeat these creatures?"

Letting the barest hint of a smile show on his features, the Commander of NERV took a moment to push his glasses back up his nose, before speaking.

"Absolutely. After all, this is the purpose of NERV."

"We will see." The general replied, before the platform holding him and his fellows began to lower down, until it disappeared from the view of the two men in front. Around them, there was continued, flurried chattering over the communications line.

"The target is still stationary."

"Our interception capabilities are only seven-point-five percent."

"The Second and Third Child have reported ready!"

Gendo's eyes flicked to his former sensei for a moment, before he turned around, to face the massive screen, displaying the Angel from a different angle.

_Everything is coming together._

* * *

Tugging at the overtly tight plugsuit, Shinji was chaperoned into the same room, along with Asuka, in which they had been first shown the EVAs. It now buzzed with activity, and workers darted about, operating terminals and motorised scaffolds.

"Pilots on deck!"

A few pairs of curious eyes moved towards the two, but quickly returned to their work. The group of workers guiding Shinji and Asuka moved to separate the two, but not before the latter reached out, her hand grasping his shoulder for a painfully brief moment.

"Keep safe."

The words came as a murmur, but Asuka felt like she wanted to scream. Shinji nodded, and then tried to smile as he was moved away, to the hulking white and red giant that was his, but it was a broken, hollow effort.

Silently, the redhead let the workers guide her to her own monster. It was only a little less difficult, getting into the Entry Plug, than it had been last time – but at least she was making some improvement.

The hatch closing behind her, she let out a breath, and tried to keep her heart steady as the plug began to fill with LCL.

"Filling Entry Plug."

The tinny, distorted voice of Maya Ibuki narrated the process, and Asuka squeezed the controls in a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

_Just get it over with, already._

Teeth grinding, she let the orange liquid pass over her without protest.

"Secondary Contacts established. A-10 nerve connection, normal."

The inside of the plug began to shimmer and shine with a thousand shades of red, blue and green, and suddenly, she was with the EVA again. Closing her eyes, Asuka sought detachment, and the power she could gain from it.

"All preliminary contacts established. Performance normal. Bi-directional circuits are open. Synchronisation Ratio at seventy eight-point-seven. Harmonics green, no disturbances identified. EVA Unit Two is now operational."

The redhead watched with measured breaths as the restraints that were digging into her – no, digging into the EVA – began to pull back and disappear within the metallic walls they had sprouted from. Soon enough, even the walls disappeared, and Asuka jolted slightly in her seat as the EVA was moved.

_I must be on a platform or something._

"Moving EVA Unit One and Two to ejector pads zero-three and zero five respectively."

A few moments later, the sensation of movement came to a stop, and Asuka looked above to see an endless shaft opening above her, a multitude of hatches sliding open one after the other.

"Launch path is clear. All systems green."

"Ready for launch."

_Alright. We can do this. We didn't train for ten years to fight and lose…_

The redhead craned her neck to see the white and red EVA Unit One locking into a space beside her.

_But we trained to fight men. Not monsters._

"Launch!" Misato's voice bellowed, over the communications system.

Suddenly, the girl was blasted into her seat, her eyes squeezing shut and a gasp of surprise escaping her as the EVAs suffered the pressure of being forced up the transit shaft at such an incredible speed.

When that too came to an abrupt stop, Asuka let out a groan, shaking her head. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked ahead.

The city of Tokyo-3 was painted a darkening orange by the setting sun, the pillars of concrete and glass around her glimmering with the dying light. Something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she watched as EVA Unit One came out of the ground a few streets away from her.

_Wonder how Shinji feels._

Asuka looked to her left, and her eyes widened as she saw the Angel.

_Relax. You're gonna kick this thing's ass._

"Evangelion Units, move out!" Misato shouted, over the comms.

Behind EVA Unit Two, the restraints holding it in place for transit unlocked, and the crimson titan lurched forward, a little unsteady under its own weight.

"Asuka? Shinji?" Ritsuko's voice came from the side, and Asuka looked to see a holographic window displaying the doctor's face.

"I realise you haven't had much in the way of training, so we'll need to make do, and quickly. I need you to walk. Just think about walking, about the act of it, as if you're actually doing so."

In her seat, the redhead rolled her eyes, chewing her lip.

_What I wouldn't give for some of Gouken-sensei's cryptic wisdom right now. It's usually the simple stuff that helps the least, in my experience._

_ But I can't beat the crap out of that 'Angel' if I can't walk. So…walk._

A squeak of surprise escaped the girl as the EVA moved forward, one step, then two steps, and then three. A few more, and a sigh of relief escaped her.

Beside Asuka, Shinji too was taking his first steps, and seemed to be performing admirably well.

"Excellent." The doctor observed, her voice mechanical. "EVA operates via neural link – it operates on thought. Just do what feels natural to you."

Asuka gazed across the vista of the sunset, the city, and finally, at the Angel. It had turned to face them, and ever so slowly, it had begun to approach, taking rigid, lurching steps.

_Just do what feels natural…_

The EVA's feet shifted, it's arms moved, and within a second it was in a perfect mimic of its pilot's fighting stance.

It then began to bounce slightly on its toes, and after two solid hours of stress and tension, Asuka grinned.

To her right, EVA Unit One looked at her, before taking the hint and following in her lead.

"Alright." The girl whispered, her voice echoing from her Evangelion's loud speakers.

She gazed up at the Angel with burning blue eyes.

"Let's dance!"

* * *

**And here we go. Hold onto your butts!**

**Every time you leave a review, you get a mental cookie.**


	12. Episode 3 - Round One - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Shinji's eyes widened, as he watched EVA Unit Two dart off in front of him. The armoured behemoth tore up asphalt and concrete with each step, dashing towards the Angel in front of it.

Misato's voice was audible, shocked and panicked.

"_No_, Asuka! Not until we've…"

With a deafening cry from its pilot, EVA Unit Two surged forward and leapt into a flying side kick, soaring to meet its target. It was only then that Shinji realised that there was a long, black cable trailing from Unit Two's back – a power supply of some kind?

_I must have one as well. I hope it doesn't get in the way of movement._

The Angel shifted slightly, as it looked towards the incoming attacker, but did not move, perhaps curious at the sight before it. Whatever curiosity it may have had was shattered, along with its bone mask, when the scarlet EVA's kick connected squarely with it.

The Angel let out a strangled shriek as it stumbled back, arms windmilling and legs struggling to hold up as it fought to regain its balance. The EVA landed in front of it, and returned to its stance, bouncing on its toes.

Asuka's voice laughed over the communications system.

"Is that it? Didn't think that'd work!"

The Angel slowly found itself, and moved to eye Unit Two with what little of its mask remained – the beak was missing, and the two eye holes were separated by a visible crack travelling up the middle of the white.

Unsure of what to do, Shinji advanced forward, Unit One's slow, tempered footsteps still booming and powerful. Thankfully, Misato was on hand to provide some direction, her face appearing in a holographic window beside his controls.

"Shinji – move to get behind the Angel while Asuka occupies it. But keep your distance!" The captain commanded, eyes narrowed.

Nodding, the boy manoeuvred Unit One between the network of buildings and streets, trying to remain out of sight of the abomination that Unit Two was staring down.

* * *

As the Angel straightened up, focusing on its attacker, Asuka let out a strangled sigh.

_See? Nothing to it. Just beat the crap out of it. Just like in a manga._

Blasting off again with little warning, Unit Two laid a series of fierce hooks and uppercuts upon its target, most of them colliding with the fleshy sides of the creature. It swung and clawed at its attacker, and Asuka struggled to bob and weave underneath its animalistic assault.

_I don't even know if I'm doing any damage…I could use some pointers, here!_

A vicious swing from the Angel was only just evaded – its claws scratched shallow furrows into the plating of its crimson assailant, and its redhead pilot let out a shocked yelp as the EVA jumped back.

Asuka blinked in surprise, one of her hands leaving the controls to paw at her stomach and chest. After a moment, her expression distorted with fear and apprehension.

"What the _hell_? I can feel this thing's pain? I thought it was just a goddamn robot…"

"Asuka, focus!" The voice of Misato broke through her reverie, and the girl looked up just in time to see the Angel charge her. Gritting her teeth, she willed the EVA to move forward, and as the Angel drew closer, the EVA leapt up, its knee colliding with the gut of the creature, just above the shining red sphere.

Out of the corner of her eye, Asuka watched as the white EVA Unit One moved behind the Angel, and growled as she slipped out of an attempt by the creature to grab her head in both hands.

"What the hell, baka? I could really use some help…"

The distraction was all that the Angel needed, and it rammed Unit Two like a bull, sending it sprawling back. Its muscles bulged with sudden musculature as it crouched down, and then leapt onto its opponent, pinning it down. One clawed hand grasped Unit Two's head firmly, while the other wrapped around its upper arm.

Grimacing as she felt unnatural, painful pressure on her skull and bicep, Asuka thrashed underneath the Angel's grasp.

* * *

Meanwhile, Shinji remained some distance away from the battle, an unwilling surveyor of his friend's desperate struggle.

"Captain Katsuragi, please let me –" Shinji's desperate plea was quickly shot down.

"No. You move in when I tell you. Understood?"

"…Understood."

* * *

The Angel lifted Unit Two by its head, the strain on the cyborg's neck not lost on its pilot – she let out a choked gasp, still managing to writhe in its clutches.

Looking ahead, Asuka's eyes widened as she watched the centre of the palm obscuring her – no, the EVA's vision – begin to glow in the centre. Suddenly, there was a splitting pain in her right eye socket, and a cry left her as the Angel attempted to piston an energy spike through the head of the EVA.

* * *

Shinji clutched the controls tightly, his teeth grinding together as he watched the one-sided battle.

"Shinji, help As –"

Before Misato's sentence was finished, Unit One was already speeding off like a great white bullet.

* * *

Her free arm trying to punch and shove the attacking hand away, the pilot of Unit Two gasped in pain as the energy spike attempted to push through her head a second time. Suddenly, the arms of the Angel bulged to terrifying size, and it tugged violently at her left arm.

Asuka screamed as she felt her shoulder dislocate.

* * *

Misato glanced down to Makoto.

"Damage report, now!"

The technician's eyes flitted across the monitor as he read, his voice shaking.

"Left shoulder dislocated, posterior and anterior deltoids torn. Cranial plating's holding up at sixty-two percent integrity."

The Captain cursed as she looked back to the massive screen at the front of the bridge, displaying the struggle between the Angel and Unit Two.

_This turned to shit real fast. _

Suddenly, Asuka's voice came through the feed again, as Unit Two lifted its lower body up.

"That _hurt_, you son of a bitch!"

Unit Two's legs hooked around the Angel's upper arm, and its right hand clamped onto the creature's obsidian forearm. With a shout of exertion from the pilot, the scarlet Evangelion twisted, and together, it and the Angel flipped around, crashing to the ground.

A few of the technicians let out gasps – one even cheered as Unit Two staggered to its feet, right hand ghosting over its damaged shoulder.

However, the Angel was not finished – it rose again, looming over the wounded EVA. Misato swallowed as she watched the scene play out in front of her.

Suddenly, from out of frame, Unit One appeared, sliding to a half stop as its pilot roared.

"_Stay away from her!"_

The bridge crew watched as it dashed forward, stepping forward into a powerful side kick that connected with the Angel's gut, sending the creature flying back into a building at the end of the street. Unit One turned to its comrade, crouching down slightly to help Unit Two straighten up.

Asuka's voice came in over the communication's feed, tired and strained.

"Listen, can we have some help here? How do we kill this thing?"

From Misato's side, Ritsuko appeared, her expression not as composed as it usually was.

"The red sphere in the middle of the torso. We theorise that if you destroy that, you should destroy the angel as well." The doctor said, moving over to Maya's station and glancing down at the monitor.

"Got it." The redhead replied. Misato finally spoke, her voice slow.

"How are you two doing?"

"Perfect." Asuka drawled. "My shoulder feels like it's been torn from its socket, and I have a splitting headache. I think Shinji's doing fine, though."

The captain took the time to rehearse her next words in her mind before she said them.

_My orders just put Asuka in a dangerous and painful situation…hopefully she'll listen to one more._

"Alright…Shinji, since you're in the best condition, you'll distract the Angel head on. Asuka, get behind it, and pin it down. Then destroy the red sphere, the core."

"Loud and clear…" Asuka murmured.

"Understood." Shinji replied, voice firm.

* * *

Moving back into stance, Unit One advanced on the prone form of the Angel as Unit Two moved around it, as quickly as possible with a damaged shoulder.

Slowly, the creature in front of the white titan rose to its feet, and after taking a few experimental steps, began to move forwards for battle once again. Steeling himself, Shinji willed his Evangelion towards the Angel, and into the fray.

Suddenly, he found himself blocked – unable to pass an unearthly, octagonal barrier of pulsing orange. Over the communications, he could hear Ritsuko gasp something about an "A.T. Field."

Shinji willed his EVA to give the field, or whatever it was, a few experimental jabs. It left his knuckles stinging and throbbing, and he cursed under his breath.

_This could be easier if I could use my hado. But Asuka's right. I don't want to drag Gouken-sensei into this if I don't have to…_

Abruptly, the A.T. Field fizzled out of existence as EVA Unit Two pounced upon the Angel.

Asuka's voice was a triumphant bark, as her crimson EVA hooked its one good arm underneath the Angel's right.

"_Surprise_, you ugly piece of shit!"

EVA Unit Two's legs hooked around the Angel's waist, and the two fell back to the ground, shaking the earth underneath them. Over the communications feed, Shinji heard Asuka let out a hiss of pain.

"Landed on my bad shoulder…" The girl mumbled, then spoke again, louder. "Now, Shinji!"

The creature on top of Unit Two screeched and scrabbled wildly, its arms flailing as it struggled to turn around and hide its vulnerable core. However, Unit One was upon it in a flash, straddling its waist.

Shinji struggled to evade wild claws aimed at his EVA's head, and kept low as he began to rain blow after blow on the Angel's core. After a few powerful strikes, the sphere had begun to crack down the middle, and with two more, it started to chip.

The creature's claws dug into Unit One's back, and the boy piloting it let out a gasp of pain, but powered through, bracing himself against its torso with one hand, and drawing back his other arm for more punches. When the first connected, a chunk of the core came free.

Before Shinji could will the second blow to land, the Angel broke out of Unit Two's grasp with a madman's strength, and curled around his Evangelion. With nothing visible save for the cracked, crimson core in the centre of his vision, he began to struggle and pull at it.

Unexpectedly, the core flared with brilliant white light, and Shinji's eyes widened. He heard Misato yell something like "Self-Destruct" before his world turned completely white.

Eva Unit Two covered its face with its good arm as the light grew to blinding levels, but was ill-prepared when the Angel appeared to detonate with a titanic explosion, sending the crimson titan reeling back.

In the skies of Tokyo-3, a great crucifix of light etched itself into existence, and then disappeared moments after.

Sprawling to the ground, Asuka struggled to regain the EVA's balance, and then, despite the discomfort, looked towards the smoking, flaming ruin of the street that Unit One and the Angel had grappled on.

The girl swallowed, and dared to speak.

"Shinji?"

No response. The redhead's sapphire eyes widened, and fear made a dancefloor of her face.

"Shinji? **SHINJI!**"

* * *

The assembled bridge crew, the Commander and Vice Commander included, watched as EVA Unit Two dashed towards the blasted, scorched earth of the street, searching for its missing companion.

"Asuka? Asuka, it's Misato. Shinji's alive, we can still detect his life signs.."

"Where is he?" The girl cried, her Evangelion dropping to all fours and beginning to search through the rubble. "Where is – _Shinji!_"

Misato let out a sigh of relief as Unit Two found its comrade collapsed into the side of a building, and crawled towards it, moving collapsed portions of concrete and metal away to get closer.

_Thank god…they're alive. Both of them._

_We actually did it…_

"How's Shinji?" She asked, turning to Makoto.

"His EVA's a little crispy, and he has minor sympathetic nerve trauma from the explosion, but he's otherwise fine."

"And the Angel?"

"Gone, ma'am." The technician replied, with a small smile.

From somewhere down below, a cheer resounded – and that cheer proved infectious. Within a matter of seconds, nearly the entire bridge crew was on their feet, applauding and shouting out in relief.

Meanwhile, on the highest platform, Fuyusutki turned to his Commander, who remained silent, eyes locked on the screen.

"This has gone better than expected. Do you agree, Ikari?"

Beneath his folded hands, the Commander gave a dark smirk, watching as Unit Two cradled its companion, the white and red plating blackened slightly.

_It seems I made the right decision in giving them to that man. The Old Men will be pleased…and I will be free to go about my business for the time being._

* * *

**Finally, our first real action scene. I hope it wasn't awful for you to read! Speaking of reading, please do so, and review!**


	13. Interlude 03 - Evacuation

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Gasping for breath, Toji tugged his little sister through the darkened building, struggling to keep at a steady speed and make sure Sakura was behind him.

"Toji, where's Daddy?"

"Dad's at the shelter, Sakura. We'll be there soon, okay?" The boy panted out, flinching as another series of deafening booms resounded throughout the street, echoing into the building.

The military were using some kind of robot to fight the monster - and if he and his sister didn't get to a shelter soon, they'd probably wind up crushed underneath a giant foot, or failing in that, rubble.

In front of them, lay a doorway, leading out to a street Toji knew well – one that would be an easy sprint from there to a shelter entrance. It was so close – and then there was another titanic crash. His sister let out a piercing scream, one that was cut short as the doorway was blocked by a mess of concrete and rebar.

Toji almost cursed, but stopped himself.

Pulling Sakura the other way, he stopped to glance out a window. The boy's jaw dropped as he saw two robots – one white, one red, stand in front of the monster that had attacked the city.

Suddenly, the white robot dashed forward with terrifying speed, and moved to deliver a side kick to the creature, the sound of the impact resounding through Toji's skull.

He could only watch in horror as the monster's form hurtled towards them, and instinctively, he clutched his little sister tighter to him, as he began to run as quickly as he could. Before he'd even moved two metres, however, the loudest crash of all sounded, and his world turned dark for a few, petrifying moments.

He could still move, he knew that much – but where was his little sister? Where was Sakura?

"Sakura?"

Toji called out the name weakly, coughing on dust and struggling to see through the darkness. A few slices of light made their way through, and they helped as he struggled to his feet and pawed his way through what was left of the building.

"Saku –"

The boy froze.

In front of him, his little sister lay prone, facedown on the cracked, concrete floor, one leg pinned by a piece of rubble.

**"Sakura!"**


	14. Episode 3 - Round One - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

For the third time, Shinji woke to the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling.

_I'm beginning to see a pattern here._

As he returned to consciousness, he slowly became aware of a slight itch – almost like a sting or burn – across most of his body. Furrowing his brow at the strange sensation, the boy slowly moved forward in his bed, and then sat up, the bedsheets falling and exposing his chest.

Staring straight ahead, Shinji tried to remember the series of events that had led to him being here.

_I…I was in the EVA. We were fighting the Angel, or whatever that was – we were winning. And then…_

He glanced to his left, and through a window, he could spy the unblemished green and blue of the Geofront landscape.

_Well, whatever happened, it looks like we won. _

_Wait, where's Asuka? Where is – _

The sudden surge of blind fear that had shot through Shinji disappeared when he looked to his right.

Asuka was seated beside him, asleep in a chair. Slouched back, her LCL-matted ponytail fell over her left shoulder. Shinji was vaguely aware of the smell of blood, and he wrinkled his nose.

_Looks like she didn't shower before she came here. Guess she was worried…_

Suppressing a small smile at the thought, the boy laid back and stretched out slowly, with a small yawn. The strange inch was lessened, now, and he rose once again.

Shinji reached out to wake his companion, but paused – from the new angle, he could see that the left arm of her plugsuit had been removed – and her left shoulder was wrapped in bandages. The memory of Asuka's EVA struggling against the grip of the Angel flashed through his mind, and he winced.

_Was she actually hurt? Or did she just feel the pain of the EVA?_

Withdrawing back to the bed once again, Shinji rested against the headboard, gazing down at his lap. The images of the battle played behind his eyes, as he struggled to find some kind of grasp on reality.

Life was strange enough when you could throw _ki_ from your hands, and perform uppercuts that sent you flying into the air, but robots and aliens were a bit much. After several minutes of nothing, the boy sighed, and looked back over at his sleeping friend.

_She probably needs her rest. I need to get on my feet – I'm a cramped mess._

Shinji swung his legs over the side of the bed – thankfully he was wearing hospital-issue pants – and looked around for any kind of shirt he could don until everything was taken care of. Finding a turquoise-coloured shirt of the same style as the pants, he pulled it on, and then moved towards the door.

Noticing a pair of slippers, he slid into them, and after one last glance at Asuka, pressed the button to open the door. It slid open with barely any noise, and he headed out, intent on clearing his head.

He had assumed that in the aftermath of a giant monster attacking a city, the hospital would be full to bursting – but as he strode down the silent corridors, and glanced into too many open rooms, he saw almost no one.

Slippers slapping against the linoleum floor, Shinji turned a corner, and stopped, as he heard the squeak of wheels across the floor, stepping to the side to allow hospital staff to wheel a hospital bed past him. He looked down at its occupant, and his eyes widened.

Her skin was deathly pale, to the point that Shinji could almost see the vague colours of veins and arteries near her neck. Her hair was a washed-out, faded blue, choppily cut into a bob, and the one eye that wasn't hidden behind a patch was red, like a burning coal peering up at him behind a blank mask.

He blankly returned the stare, caught off guard by both her unnatural appearance and the sheer amount of bandages on her person, to say nothing of the cast on her arm. Before Shinji realised it, the hospital bed had disappeared around the corner, out of his view, and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

* * *

"So, the Angels have returned."

Gendo's eyes flitted to, and then promptly ignored the representative from the United Kingdom, whose hawk-like features, highlighted by the red light surrounding him, twisted in some kind of pseudo-superiority.

"It seems rather sudden." The man continued, oblivious to the fact that the Commander still stared ahead, instead focusing on the figure directly across from him – Keel Lorenz, the Chairman of the Human Instrumentality Committee.

He was a withered shell of a man, filled out with cybernetics and rich food. His eyes were hidden behind a cybernetic visor, to compensate for the blindness that came with his impressive age.

To his left, the yellow-lit representative from France spoke, with a voice like nails on a chalkboard.

"All is as it was fifteen years ago – sudden disaster, without warning."

The United Kingdom representative, his features still held in a smirk, spoke again.

"At least now, our previous investments will not go to waste."

Across from the red-lit man, the blue-lit representative from Russia cut him off, his eyes narrow and his tone clipped.

"If it doesn't pay off, it's a waste regardless."

The Frenchman beside him nodded in agreement, before speaking.

"Correct. Now that the existence of the Angels is no longer a secret, we must handle all information delicately to avoid any…undue attention. NERV must do so immediately."

Gendo breathed, before replying – these meetings, as frequent as they were, were beginning to grate on his nerves.

"Everything has already been handled – you may rest assured of that."

The previously silent man from America – lit up in green –finally spoke up, watching the commander with a guarded expression.

"We must acknowledge your efficiency in that regard – but speaking in that regard, surely EVA and NERV can be put to a better use, Mr. Ikari?"

The French crone to his left spoke again, his expression leering and his voice condemning.

"We are, of course, referring to the repair costs for both Unit One and Unit Two, which when added to the cost of repairs for Unit Zero, are enough to bankrupt nothing less than a small country."

Jumping on the opportunity, the British representative piped up.

"We also understand that you gave those particular toys to untrained pilots."

"If it had not been for your dubious decision ten years ago, that would not have been the case." The blue-lit Russian mused. "Allowing the two children to spend their years with some guru in the forest will have massive repercussions in manpower, time, and money."

Beneath his glasses, Gendo rolled his eyes, and then replied. "A necessary cost. One can see from the footage that their performance in EVA far exceeded anything we had predicted."

"Irrelevant." The UK representative cut the Commander off, and Gendo fought the urge to bristle in his chair. "You have a far more pressing responsibility – the cultivation of the Human Instrumentality Project."

"Mm. In such troublesome times, this project is our last, best hope." The Frenchman to the Commander's left chattered.

"In any case…" Keel began, his voice, though subdued, seeming to echo throughout the chamber, "The Angel is no excuse for delaying progress on the Project. However, this council will admit that your decision, as questionable as it was, has borne fruit – we will endeavour to adjust the budget. See that we do not have to do so again."

"Now, the rest of this meeting only concerns the rest of us." The UK representative sneered.

"Your presence here is appreciated, Mr. Ikari." The French representative said, half-heartedly as the he and the other representatives, save for Keel, vanished into the darkness.

Gendo and Keel stared at each other for a small eternity, before the older man finally spoke.

"Ikari…you must realise your decisions may have consequences – severe ones."

Without another word, Keel too vanished from view, leaving the Commander alone.

_Do not think me an idiot. Every decision I have made…I am __**fully**__ aware of where it may lead._

* * *

There was pain, yet there wasn't. It was a peculiar, disconcerting sensation, and with every few steps, Asuka found herself rolling or touching her shoulder, only to feel nothing out of the ordinary. Then, a moment later, there would be a sting, a phantom scream of muscle tearing.

Shaking her head in a vain attempt to distract her from the odd sensation, Asuka walked on. She walked on through sterilised, bone-white corridors, the soles of her plugsuit slapping against the linoleum.

_What the hell did that thing do to me?_

_And why the hell am I still wearing this thing?_

Given that Asuka had rushed over to Shinji's hospital room as soon as she'd been treated, she hadn't had the luxury of a shower – and she was beginning to regret that now. The dried LCL was caked in her hair, dulling its natural lustre and causing the strands to stick together, and hadn't fully evaporated on the plugsuit – every step Asuka took, the suit seemed to protest by sticking to itself, making moving irritating.

With an exasperated sigh, she fumbled with the controls of a door, her 'bad' arm making things difficult.

_That Akagi woman told me it'd wear off in a day or so – it better._

The door finally slid open, and Asuka stepped out into another room. It was expansive, and illuminated by the light shining in from massive windows at the front. Rows and rows of benches filled the room, and the girl spied a familiar head of brown hair.

Shinji didn't appear to have seen her, and a small grin crept across her face as she prowled between the benches.

Approaching the quiet teen, she surged forward and grabbed his shoulders, only to find herself being tossed over the boy, who had reacted to a sudden attack the only way he knew how. Twisting in the air, Asuka managed to land cleanly, standing on the seat of the bench in front of Shinji's.

Shinji's face brightened as he recognised his friend, then darkened slightly.

"You shouldn't have done that, Asuka – I could have hurt you." He murmured, glancing at the floor. The girl snorted in response.

"Yeah, right."

"I'm serious – with your shoulder and everything, I…" The boy drifted off, scratching at his chest through his shirt – he must have changed his clothes - and the redhead standing in front of him sighed, hopping over the back of the bench and sitting down beside him.

"It's not even an injury, baka. It just kind of…feels weird. Wanna poke it?" Asuka raised a questioning eyebrow, smiling.

Shinji brightened up the tiniest amount, finally looking up again. "I'll pass. And…sorry for leaving you in that room earlier. I just needed to get up." The girl beside him shook her head. "No worries. I get it. Remember when you broke my arm after botching a grapple?"

The boy blanched as the memory of a screaming girl and an arm bent at an odd angle flashed through his mind.

"Yeah, you remember. After being holed up in the house for two days straight, I had to get out, get some air. Only natural. You don't need to apologise for everything, Shinji." Asuka remarked, tilting her head slightly.

Moments passed, and Shinji remained silent. Finally, the redhead dropped all pretenses.

"Shinji, what's wrong?" She asked, with a sigh. As soon as she had, the answer came rushing out, like water through a broken dam.

"You got hurt because of me." The boy hissed, resting his face in his palms.

"No, Shinji, I –"

"If I hadn't…I…you could have been _killed_, Asuka." Shinji insisted, his hands leaving his face to reveal cloudy eyes. "It's my fau – ow!"

The boy cringed as Asuka tugged sharply on his ear, her expression carrying the slightest hint of affection.

"I got hurt because I charged in and disobeyed orders. If I'd listened to Misato, it wouldn't have happened. Now lighten up!" She drew the boy closer, as if to fiercely hug him, but instead forced his head under her arm, and began to give him a fierce noogie.

"Wooga wooga –" The girl teased.

Asuka flew through the air again, and landed just as cleanly as she had before, smirking at Shinji from behind another row of benches.

"Not so shy about tossing me around now, are you?" She asked, with a raised eyebrow.

Across from her, Shinji let out a breath.

"Come on, baka. I need to get showered, get changed, and then we'll find that drunkard –"

"Ahem."

Said drunkard stood at the doorway to the room, an unamused expression on her face.

"You doing alright, you two?"

Asuka nodded stiffly, whilst Shinji made a small noise of affirmation.

"Good." Misato walked over to the pair, and leant on the side of one of the benches, before speaking.

"Look…I know things…could have gone better."

Asuka rolled her eyes.

"I realise everything kind of went crazy, but…you two did good out there. Even if one of you disobeyed orders." The Captain conceded, not failing to notice the redhead's slight bristle at the last comment, or how Shinji's expression lit up at her praise.

"And personally, I think we all deserve a rest. I've made sure that you don't have any duties for the rest of the weekend. That way, you'll be ready for school when that comes along."

"What?" The redhead across from Misato asked, her expression wide-eyed. "We don't need to go to school. We already got an education –"

"In mathematics, physics, and biology." The captain cut the girl off. "What about history, Japanese, and Japanese literature?"

"We…ugh, fine." Asuka threw down her arms in defeat, her ponytail flopping back over her shoulder. Instead of protesting, Shinji seemed interested.

"I've never been to a proper high school before.." He murmured, looking up at Misato.

"Well," The Captain smiled. "Nothing but new experiences for you two, huh?"

"You can say that again." Asuka muttered, crossing her arms.

"Come on." Misato indicated, beckoning the two children to follow her. "You can get changed here, then have a shower back at the apartment. I have a feeling you want to get out of this place as soon as possible."

"You're not half-wrong there, Misato." The redhead murmured, walking over with Shinji beside her.

* * *

**And I'm back! I really have no excuse for taking so long with this chapter, so I hope you accept my deepest apologies. I'll be looking to bring that new chapter to you tomorrow, and for any of you who have been wondering where the hell the street fighting is in a Street Fighter crossover, will have their first taste of hand-to-hand in the next chapter. Any guesses on who's stepping into the ring?**

**Also, I'd like to take the time to ask you to leave a review - I really want to make a good story here, and to do that I need your honest critique - positive and negative. I want to improve, and give you all a story you can come back to and enjoy. Thanks for reading! **


	15. Episode 3 - Round One - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

The three made their way to the elevator on the other side of the room, Shinji and Asuka staying behind Misato in tandem, as was seeming to become the norm. The captain pressed the button to call the elevator, and she took a moment to glance back at the two – they looked back at her, and she offered a small smile.

"Everyone's really impressed with what you two did out there." The captain said. "I mean it – you should have heard the cheers when the Angel was destroyed."

Shinji, who had already brightened up considerably, only seemed to get happier, his smile stretching into a grin. Beside him, Asuka allowed herself a small smirk of her own.

However, the grins vanished as the doors to the elevator slid open – and Gendo Ikari glowered down at Misato and the two children.

Shinji blinked, tensing for a brief moment, while Misato fought the urge to shift uncomfortably on the spot, under the man's intense gaze. Asuka, however, had no such qualms, and with a murmured 'Excuse me, Commander,' moved into the elevator beside him, much to the poorly hidden shock of both the Captain and her other charge, who failed to notice the Commander's widened eyes, or his subsequent pseudo-snarl.

"Well?" Asuka asked expectantly, behind Gendo.

"Oh – yes. Sorry…" Shinji murmured, moving forward with Misato. The boy hesitated as he drew closer to his father, but a small push from Misato, and the Commander stepping aside to make space in the elevator, provided enough encouragement for him to join his friend.

As the doors closed once again, and the elevator whirred to life, Shinji's eyes flicked between Asuka, Misato, and his father's back. The boy stared, some part of him still having difficulty comprehending that the man who had sired him, who had raised him for four years and then abandoned him, was finally only a few steps away.

The elevator trip lasted no more than fifteen seconds – but it felt like a small eternity. When the doors slid open once again, the Commander strode out, but not before speaking.

"Your performances were admirable. I expect more of the same in the future."

Before any of the other occupants in the elevator could respond, the doors had closed again.

Whilst Misato's previous praise had brought a smile to Shinji's face, his father's words only brought confusion, confusion that stayed with him for the rest of the trip home.

* * *

As Asuka peeled off the last of her clothing, letting it fall to the tiled floor of Misato's bathroom, she took a moment to examine herself in the mirror – more specifically, the bandages around her shoulder, which had yet to be removed.

Her right hand reached up, tentatively, and Asuka ghosted her fingers over the white cotton, before digging them into the seams of the dressing. With a measured breath, she began to slowly unwind them, and rolls of white joined the discarded shirt, skirt and underwear on the floor.

_Nothing. No marks at all._

The girl gave her left shoulder a few prods, and then rolled it, before letting out a sigh and shaking her head.

_This whole thing is absolutely insane._

Hoping that a warm shower could refresh her and take her mind off of the events of the last forty-eight hours, she moved over to the shower cubicle, and pulled back the curtain.

* * *

**"What the shit?"**

Misato, hair tied back and dressed in casual attire, glanced up at the shout, still nursing a fresh can of beer. The door to the bathroom was slid open with thunderous speed and force, revealing Asuka, naked as the day she was born.

"There's a thing – a creature, in there!"

The girl pointed back into the bathroom, and then glanced down with widened eyes as the aforementioned creature waddled past her, apathetic.

"Oh, that?" Misato raised an eyebrow, watching as it moved over to the large fridge by the wall. "That's Pen Pen, my pet. He's a hot-springs penguin – not a _thing_, or a _creature_, I'll have you know."

The naked redhead locked eyes with the so-called penguin as it pressed a button, opening a door on the lower section of the fridge. It gave a derisive snort, and disappeared inside, the small door sliding shut behind it.

Asuka shrugged in defeat, then flinched as she heard footsteps coming from the corridor.

"Naked." She called out, without much power in her voice.

Shinji's reply was equally blank, as if it was routine.

"Oh. Sorry."

The footsteps stopped, clearly waiting for Asuka to step back inside the bathroom and close the door. She did so, and Misato watched as Shinji strode out into the kitchen area, sparing a glance at the closed bathroom door before turning to the Captain.

"I'm making rice and pork for dinner – is that alright?" The boy asked, moving past her to access the cupboards and stove.

"You can cook?" Misato said, with a small measure of disbelief. Shinji nodded, as he produced a pan from the cupboard.

"Gouken-sensei taught us more than just the martial arts."

The weekend passed in pleasurable slowness – the two children enjoyed the newfound concept of a lazy day, and getting up in the afternoon – after which they would spend the next hour stretching and exercising as best they could in the apartment.

After Misato walked in on the two, who were well into their third twenty-rep set of two finger pushups, she offered to find them a gym.

* * *

Finally, the first day of the week came again, and had both Asuka and Shinji looking curiously at clear bags on the kitchen table in front of them.

"Well, this is your first day at Tokyo-3 City First Junior High School!" Misato cheerfully piped, sliding the bags over to the two children. "Ready to model your uniforms?"

* * *

Shinji, wearing a button-up short-sleeve shirt and belted black pants, scratched his head as he turned around slowly, craning his neck to see as much of his newly uniformed self as possible.

"It's not much of a uniform…" The boy said, with a small frown. "I was expecting something a little more…"

"Like this?" Came the displeased, tired reply. Asuka walked into the kitchen, clad in the female uniform of the High School. Misato gave an enthusiastic thumbs up as she did so, but the redhead only glowered, picking at the starched white shirt, and narrowing her eyes at the red bow and blue skirt ensemble.

"This is humiliating." The girl growled, but the Captain at the table waved off the comment.

"Come on, Asuka. Just because it's not a tank-top or a gi, doesn't mean you don't look good! Besides, you're not going to be the only person wearing it at school!"

* * *

Misato spoke the truth, but it was a hollow comfort – while it wasn't the uniform that drew attention to the redhead, or her companion, everything else did. After they had been greeted at the door of Class 2-A by the Class Representative – a girl named Hikari, with freckles and brown hair in pigtails – they were quickly ushered in.

The room was previously alive with conversation and activity, but as the two new arrivals stepped in, all was silent. Eyes swivelled from every corner of the classroom to examine the new blood, and Asuka couldn't ignore the whispers, catching snatches of them as she moved past, towards a desk and laptop that had been set up for her.

"-look at that hair-"

"-those muscles-"

"-who are they-"

"-army brats, got to be-"

Asuka sat down stiffly in her chair, looking straight ahead. A row away from her, and a few seats down, Shinji had also sat, casting glances over at his friend.

However, he too was not without attention – more than a few girls in the class stared, their eyes lingering on the white shirt drawn tight across his athletic, well-formed figure, but of note was a boy in the back, with a tan and tracksuit to distinguish him from the rest.

Sharp features distorted with curiosity, and a hint of displeasure, but softened again as his friend, a mousy boy with light brown hair, freckles and glasses, muttered to him that class was about to begin.

Despite all the attention that he was receiving, Shinji himself was staring at another in the room.

_The girl from the hospital._

Sitting at a table by the window, gaze directed outwards towards the expanse of the playing fields, and of the city beyond, the waifish girl remained oblivious to the boy's sudden attention.

She was still clad in bandages and a cast, Shinji noted – he wondered if the girl had been wounded during the attack of the Angel, or perhaps before, in some kind of accident.

**"Stand! Bow! Sit!"**

The shrill voice of Hikari Horaki rang out, marshalling the class together, and heralding the arrival of the teacher – an old, frail looking man, who seemed oblivious to the world in front of him. As the teacher began to speak, quickly falling into a tired lecture about the Second Impact and the subsequent trials that humanity faced, the students in front of him instead amused themselves with a chat program on their laptops.

* * *

**Kensuke A. – Have you heard the rumor?**

**Naomi S. – About what? The new kids?**

**Tomoya K. – Did you see the body on that girl? Crazy.**

**Kensuke A. – The transfer students – people think they might be the pilots of the robots that appeared last week!**

**Ichika T. – Bullshit.**

**Kensuke A. – I'm serious!**

**Fuko M. – Hang on, I'll ask the guy. He seems cute :D**

* * *

Shinji flinched as his laptop chimed, distracting him from the previous task of fervently copying out notes.

The chat program that he had ended up ignoring in favour of notetaking blinked, signalling a new message, and he opened it, narrowing his eyes as he read the newest line of text.

**Fuko M. – Are you and the redhead the pilots of the robots?**

The boy swallowed, and glanced around nervously – he caught the eye of a few giggling girls, who waved at him – he blushed, and offered a wave of his own, before looking back at the screen. Another message appeared.

**Fuko M. – It's true, isn't it?**

Shinji frowned, contemplating his actions.

_The Evangelions can't exactly be a secret, can they?_

_What harm could it do?_

The boy slowly typed his reply – a three letter word of confirmation.

**Shinji I. – Yes.**

The room exploded in a cacophony of noise.

* * *

Some time later, after the burst of wild and terrifying attention had passed, Shinji found himself with some degree of solitude once again. Asuka had left to find some place to eat on campus, but not before giving the boy the dirtiest look she could muster – the girl had also been subjected to the merciless questions and attention of the class.

Letting out a small sigh, Shinji leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes, only to open them a few seconds later when he felt someone tap his shoulder. Turning slightly in his seat, he looked up at the other student – a light-haired boy with glasses. Shinji had thought he'd heard the name 'Kensuke' batted around, in the class prior.

"Hey, man, sorry about all of that ruckus back there." The bespectacled boy apologised, smiling sheepishly. Shinji shook his head, holding up a hand.

"It's alright…it's just that me and Asuka aren't used to all that attention."

Kensuke nodded in what appeared to be understanding, before leaning in and whispering. "Hey, no worries. I get you – what was it? Secret Army training camp?"

"Huh?" Shinji's eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Anyway, I have a friend who wants to talk to you – if that's alright." Shinji watched as the boy pointed towards the door, and didn't fail to notice how he seemed to stumble over a few of the words, as if he was uncomfortable saying them.

Despite the oddity, he nodded, affecting a fresh smile, and after rising from his seat, followed the boy out of the classroom.

* * *

Kensuke led Shinji to a section behind the school, along a dirt path. The sun beat down hotly upon the two boys, and Shinji found himself wishing for the loose and flowing gi hanging up at his new home, as opposed to this thick, starched shirt.

In front of him, the lighter-haired boy stopped, turning around, and Shinji frowned, looking around.

"Where's your friend? I don't see anyone else here…" The boy mused.

"I'm here."

The new voice rang out from behind him, and Shinji turned – a black-haired boy, with a tan and wearing a dark tracksuit, stood there. His fists were clenched, and even through the sports jacket, Shinji could tell that the boy in front of him was athletic, and well-built for his age.

"You're the pilot of one of those robots, right?"

Shinji nodded, noticing a heavy Kansai accent in the new arrival's words.

"I don't know if you realised this, but while you were jumping around and kicking that monster into buildings, people got hurt." The boy in front of him spat, glowering, and instinctively, Shinji drew back slightly, moving into the beginnings of his stance.

"My sister was crushed by rubble – she survived, but she's in the hospital." The boy continued, and Shinji felt a sudden pang of remorse spark inside of him. However, before he could make any kind of apology, the boy across from him unzipped the jacket of his tracksuit, and after removing it, tossed it over to Kensuke.

Shinji had been right in assuming that the boy was athletic – not as muscular as he was, but definitely in shape. The shirt the boy wore – bright red with a large yellow strip sliding diagonally up to the left shoulder from the right side – was tight against his chest.

"I can't stand seeing you walk about, without knowing that I didn't get a chance to get one for my little sister. I'm Suzuhara – Toji Suzuhara, Second Dan Black Belt of the Rindo-kan Karate School. Ready for your beating?"

Shinji's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent. In front of him, Toji lowered slightly into a standard karate stance, his left fist drawn back to his chest, and his right hand held in front of him, open and fingers straight.

After a terse moment, Shinji moved into his own stance, beginning to bounce on his toes.

A few paces away from the confrontation, Kensuke watched, eyes wide with anticipation.

It was Toji who made the first move, charging in with a shout and a perfectly thrown straight punch. Shinji blocked, but found himself having to weave out of the way of a straight kick, dodging over to his opponent's side.

Toji watched his new enemy with focused eyes, and began to approach slowly, moving back into stance as he did. As soon as he was within punching range, the boy began to deliver a flurry of short, but quick attacks upon Shinji – short jabs, chops and leg kicks.

Whilst many were blocked, parried or evaded, a few found their mark, and the Suzuhara boy was pleased as he began to pressure his opponent back against the nearby wall of the school. Toji noted that his adversary was hesitant – as if he didn't actually want to fight.

There had been a few moments where he was sure a counter attack would occur – and yet Shinji had only retreated, seemingly oblivious to the opening.

Those openings had, so far, been all missed on purpose.

Toji's story about his sister had caught Shinji off guard, distressed his thoughts, and he found himself not wanting to hurt the boy. After all, he was only doing what he thought was right – why should Shinji stop him? However, the boy in front of him was scoring a steadily rising number of hits, and while they weren't doing much damage, he had the feeling something bigger was coming.

He was proven right when, after pushing away a high shin kick, watched as Toji drew back into his stance, and then, without warning, blasted forward, sending dust up in his wake, a punch extended and ready to connect.

_Such incredible speed! He too, must use ki somehow - _

Shinji let out a noise of pain as the attack connected, sending him staggering back against the wall.

Capitalising on the advantage, Toji renewed his attack, laying upon Shinji brutal chops to the upper body and neck, as well as spinning heel kicks and sharp elbows. Under his relentless barrage, Shinji's previous method of nonviolence began to lose some degree of credibility.

Hands darting forward, Shinji managed to stop one of Toji's punches, and then hooked his arms around Toji's attacking left. Without much effort, he tossed the other boy over his shoulder, sending him hard to the dusty ground. Automatically, Shinji moved to follow up, drawing his hands to his left side to summon _hado_ –

_Wait, no! Remember what Asuka said!_

Flinching, the boy's hands dropped, and before he could snap back into his stance, Toji had surged forwards with another ki-enhanced punch that collided with stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

Toji let out a shout of triumph, drawing both arms back to his sides.

"It's over!" He roared.

His first punch shot out, colliding with Shinji's stomach. It drew a pained gasp from the other boy.

It was quickly followed up by three more punches, left, right, left, that travelled up the target's torso, before Toji drew his arm back, and then, with a fierce yell, sent a final, powerful punch upwards, towards the sky.

The blow met Shinji's chin, sending him soaring back into the dirt, and Toji grinned, his arm still extended upwards.

"_Seichusen Godanzuki!"_ Toji shouted, drawing back into his stance and watching the collapsed form of his adversary.

After a few seconds without movement from the prone body on the ground, the Suzuhara boy let out a huff, cracking his bloodied knuckles.

"Gotta say, thought a beefcake like you would last longer. Guess those muscles are all for show."

Kensuke grimaced, as he walked over beside Toji.

"Did you really need to go so hard on him? I think you knocked him out –"The bespectacled boy murmured, then let out a sudden gasp.

In front of the two, Shinji rose, clothes dirtied with dust and the odd spot of blood. A stream of blood trickled from his mouth, but he paid it no mind. Without hesitation, he moved back into his stance, calling over to Toji.

"It's going to take more than that to keep me down."

Toji's eyes widened, before his face twisted with anger, as he slid down into his own stance. "Fine! You want more?"

Shinji remained silent, simply bouncing on his toes and waiting to receive the next attack.

With a growl, Toji attacked, his fist soaring to meet Shinji's jaw – and stopped as something smashed into his gut.

Letting out a wheeze, the Suzuhara boy realised that it was his opponent's fist that had hit him, but before he could recover, a fierce hook caught him around the head, sending him back.

Kensuke watched, eyes wide in shock and fear as the previously passive fighter advanced on Toji, blocking and countering everything the boy threw at him.

Desperate, Toji span, hoping to knock Shinji out with a spinning –heel, but the move was slow and easily ducked under – his opponent replied with a spinning back kick, and the attack collided with his stomach, sending him staggering back.

Gasping for air, Toji could barely defend as Shinji leapt forward, spinning with fearsome speed, his left leg outstretched.

"_Tatsumaki Senpukyaku!"_

The boy's heel caught Toji once, twice around the head, and he collapsed to the dust, barely conscious.

Landing cleanly, Shinji watched as Kensuke dashed over to his floored friend.

_Hopefully that move wasn't too outlandish – but I needed to finish the fight quickly, in the way only hado could._

Wiping the blood from his chin, he hesitated, and then moved over to the two. However, Kensuke drew back from Toji as soon as he saw Shinji approach – his eyes fearful and his hands held up in surrender.

The bespectacled boy watched in no small degree of surprise as, after a few moments, Shinji bent down, and began to help the dizzied Toji to his feet.

"Wha…" The Suzuhara boy mumbled.

"You offered a good fight." Shinji supplied, with a small smile on his face. "Your speed is extraordinary." The victorious fighter helped Toji forward for a moment, before pausing.

"Can you stand by yourself?" He asked.

"Yeah – I think so." Toji replied, slowly detaching from Shinji.

As the black-haired boy limped over to his friend, Shinji bowed deeply, and began to speak.

"I am deeply sorry for your sister – I have little other excuse, other than that I and my friend were afraid, on that day." With that, the dirtied, bloodied boy bowed even lower.

Toji swallowed, watching as the boy in front of him offered his sincerest apologies. He opened his mouth to reply, but the words seemed to have difficulty coming out. He wondered if it was remorse, or pain that stopped them.

"Is' alright…" Toji finally managed, leaning on Kensuke for support, and the two watched as Shinji rose to his feet again, and then nodded in gratitude.

It was then that all three realised they had a spectator.

"Ayanami…" Kensuke murmured, looking over at the pale girl.

"Ayanami?" Shinji echoed, also looking at her.

"There has been an emergency call from NERV." Ayanami spoke, tonelessly. "We must go, now."

* * *

**Glossary**

_-Toji Suzuhara _

_Seichusen Godanzuki - Median Line Five-Stage Thrust_

-_Shinji Ikari_

_Tatsumaki Senpukyaku - Tornado Whirlwind Leg/Tornado Whirlwind Kick_

* * *

**And there! The first real brawl of this fic! Hopefully it was enjoyable to read - it was enjoyable to write. However, I must apologise to anyone who mains Makoto, if my interpretation of her moveset appears a little clunky and straightforward.**

**As always, please review - it makes the world turn, and puts a smile on my face. It also gets me typing faster ;)**


	16. Episode 4 - Rising Dragon - Part 1

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Shinji was by no means unfit – his years at the dojo had ensured that. Yet somehow, the waifish girl in front of him seemed to keep a steady lead no matter how he tried to keep up with her.

Ayanami stalked through the corridors of NERV with purpose and direction, and more often than not Shinji had to hang back if he did manage to get in front, simply to avoid losing himself in this maze.

The girl had remained silent the entire trip – through the lengthy tram ride, the elevators, and now moving through the halls of NERV. Behind her, the boy frowned, his mind drifting.

_Perhaps she's the quiet type? Only speaks when spoken to? But there's more to it than that – there does seem to be something…off about her._

"We have arrived."

Ayanami's voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he glanced forward. They were beside the doors to the two locker rooms, and without any other words, the girl disappeared into the female changing room, leaving Shinji to make a beeline for his own, thoughts still plagued by the mysterious girl.

The doors slid open for him, and he moved in, beginning to unbutton his shirt as he walked over to where a freshly vacuum-packed plugsuit lay. Tearing away the plastic packaging, he set the limp suit on the bench as he removed the rest of his clothes.

_Back into this thing again after only a few days…is this what my life – what Asuka's life is to become now?_

His expression fell as he pulled open the back of the plugsuit and stepped into it, and didn't brighten again, even in shock when the suit molded itself to the contours of his body.

* * *

Gendo Ikari had a nonplussed air about him – the same could not be said for his sensei, who was uncharacteristically wound up. Beside him, Fuyutsuki glanced at the command bridge's massive monitor, then back at him – then at the monitor, and then back at him. This continued for several more minutes until finally, the Commander's patience finally wore thin.

"Something on your mind, Fuyutsuki?" Gendo queried, his gaze disinterested as he kept focus on both the bridge and his second.

"Of course." The vice commander replied. Although his tone wasn't necessarily agitated, his curt manner and abrupt speech were indication enough that he was rattled. "The Forth Angel has arrived early – only a few days after the Third, and Unit Two is still being repaired."

"Your point?"

"My point?" Fuyutsuki replied, his expression and tone both growing steadily incredulous.

"Both of our pilots have proven that they are quite capable despite minimal training in the EVA's operative capabilities. Even if our effective response power is halved, we can still bring considerable force to the table, sensei." Gendo replied, steepling his fingers in front of his face.

"That may be true, but nonetheless – things have not necessarily gone as planned. The sudden arrival of the Forth, in direct breach of the Scroll's prediction – the Old Men will have even more questions for you." Fuyutsuki warned, and then watched as his former pupil gave a derisive but subdued snort.

"They'll find I don't have answers."

A chime from overhead signalled the activation of the communications system, and the voice rang out across the bridge.

"**The First Child and the Third Child have reported in. The Second is reported to be in transit."**

Fuyutsuki gazed down at Gendo expectantly, and after a moment, the man rose to his feet, and looked down upon the three senior technicians.

"Where is Captain Katsuragi?" He asked, eyes searching.

Both Maya and Aoba blanched under his gaze, but Makoto remained somewhat composed. "She's transporting the Second Child now, Sir." He reported, swallowing as the Commander's gaze seemed to burrow into him.

"I see. Notify the cages to prepare Unit One, and have the Third Child ready to deploy." The commander replied, moving to sit back down.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Shinji emerged from the locker room, tugging absentmindedly at the waist of the plugsuit as he tried to get comfortable. He stopped, however, when he realised the Head of Security – Dan, he remembered – was waiting outside, back turned, and picking his teeth with what appeared to be a combat knife.

Eyes widening, the boy quietly approached, watching the man who seemed to remain oblivious to his presence. It was now obvious, at this closer range that the knife the man was using was blunt – moreover, it appeared to be made of plastic.

Rolling his eyes, Shinji reached out and tapped the man – who let out a cry and span around into an exaggerated stance, eyes wide with alarm.

"Stay back, I have a kn – Oh, it's you, Third Child! How you doing?" The man joked, holstering the plastic knife and attempting to walk off the little outburst.

"I'm…fine, Mr. Hibiki. Thank you for asking." Shinji replied, looking the man over.

_Is he a joke? A big, man-shaped joke? Or a joke-shaped man? Hmm…_

"Anyway…" Dan continued, his hands now on his hips. "The brass seems to think that you need escorted to the cages, just in case something happens to you on the way there! And they picked just the right guy for the job – but between you and me, I think you could handle some trouble if it was thrown your way, know what I'm saying?"

The security chief raised his eyebrow, but Shinji remained impassive in incomprehension.

"What I mean to say is…you're no shrimp – you can handle yourself, right?" Dan queried, watching as Shinji nodded slowly.

"I believe so…Gouken-sensei trained me and Asuka well –"

"Gouken?" Dan screamed, voice shrill.

Shinji stepped back a little as the previously affable man began to degenerate into a muttering, cursing mess.

"That no-good…self-styled…mcdojo…short-changing…" Dan grumbled under his breath, expression dark. In front of him, Shinji raised his eyebrows, both at the sudden change in temperament, and at the words spoken about his sensei.

"Excuse me?" The boy spoke, his voice a little harder than usual. "You know of Gouken-sensei?"

"That I do, Third Child! That I do!" Dan replied loudly, with a huff to punctuate at the end. "I once trained under Gouken-sensei," – he spoke the name mockingly, like a taunting child, and Shinji felt the urge to show this man exactly what Gouken had taught him – "And I was expelled, because he believed my heart was too full of anger, believed that I wasn't allowed to learn! All because I wanted to avenge my father!"

The man collapsed to his knees in the middle of the corridor, hands held up towards the ceiling.

"Father!" Dan wailed.

Shinji rubbed the bridge of his nose as the sideshow played out in front of him – this was steadily moving past affably comedic, and into irritating. He watched with some small degree of trepidation as Dan stood back up, wondering what exactly he'd do next.

"Anyway, after I was expelled, I resolved to wander the earth, and assemble my own, ultimate fighting style! Saikyo style!" The Security Chief went on, his fist clenched in front of his face, and Shinji inwardly groaned.

_Strongest Style? Really?_

Thankfully, it was at that moment that the communications system buzzed to life, echoing throughout the corridor and drowning out any more of Dan's incessant rambling.

"**Would the Third Child please report to the primary Cage? Repeat, would the Third Child report to the primary Cage?"**

"That's my exit cue." Shinji murmured, and quickly and quietly slipped past the Security Head, who had descended into another rant cursing Gouken's name. As the boy turned the corner and slipped out of sight, he let out a sigh of relief, before making his way to where he remembered the Cages were.

_Hopefully I can get there in time…I never knew Gouken-sensei took students before me and Asuka…I wonder if there are any more? He never spoke of them. I know that Gouken-sensei was trained by Soke Gotetsu-sensei, but nothing else. Perhaps if I see him again, I'll ask._

_But now, I have something else to do._

Letting out a breath, Shinji squared his shoulders, and headed off to face whatever was aimed at him this time.

* * *

"Misato, why am I not being deployed?" Asuka asked the Captain, still dressed in her school uniform as the two made their way up to the upper levels of the bridge, where the three senior technicians were already hard at work directing preliminary defence efforts.

"It's only been three days since your battle with the last Angel, Asuka." Misato offered, as they moved up to the platform. "Crews are still repairing the damage that Unit Two suffered last time – remember your shoulder?"

The redhead rolled the shoulder in question as the unpleasant memory of feeling it torn from its socket played back through her mind.

"Yeah. I remember. But then, what about Unit One, and Shinji?" Asuka replied, clearly fishing for some loophole she could use. "That was at the centre of the Angel's blast, surely it's damaged? And yet you're sending it out?"

Misato resisted the urge to give an exasperated sigh, before responding. "When the Angel exploded, the blast only inflicted superficial damage. At worst, the armour's a little toasty. Nothing more."

Beside her, the girl let out a small curse, but spoke up, one last time.

"I heard about another pilot – Rei Ayanami. What about her? Does she have an EVA?"

The Captain glanced at the redhead, then nodded. "Yes, she does. Unit Zero, the Prototype. But Rei's been injured for several weeks – there was an activation experiment, and the EVA went berserk. It's currently under lockdown until we can confirm that it's docile again."

Asuka gave a small snort. "You make it sound like it's some kind of animal…then again, it's not really a robot in the truest sense, is it?"

Misato's eyes narrowed, before she replied. "Even I don't know what the EVAs really are, Asuka. It's not my field. You want to ask questions like that, go talk to Ritsuko."

"I'd prefer to stay here and watch."

"I thought you might." The older woman replied, stepping up to the second highest level of the Bridge. In front of her, the three-man team of senior technicians chattered away, and Misato stepped forward.

"Report." She called, and all three swivelled around in their chairs.

"All weapon emplacements are green along the coastline. They'll be ready to receive the Angel whenever it comes into firing range – should cover the EVA's approach if we get it deployed soon enough." Makoto offered, already moving back to face his console again.

"We have a ninety-eight percent evacuation percentile currently – the remaining two percent are funnelling out now." Maya supplied.

"And the Angel?" Misato queried, looking up at the bridge's main monitor.

"It's coming into visual range now." Aoba replied, swivelling back to face his console.

The monitor's image zoomed in once, then zoomed in again, focusing on a small, red form visible in the distance, emerging from between two mountains.

Almost immediately, hundreds of previously concealed gun batteries and missile silos on the surface of Tokyo-3 opened up to full, unleashing their deadly payloads directly at the new arrival.

As the Angel began to approach, more of its shape could be discerned – it resembled a crimson, scaleless snake – gliding through the air on an invisible current. Its head was curiously shaped – bearing more resemblance to an arrowhead than anything else. On top of the head, were a pair of false yellow eyes – like one might find on a butterfly's wings.

Just below the head, a pair of small, arm-like limbs were crossed, above what appeared to be some kind of ribcage. There was no core visible at present – perhaps the position of the Angel obscured it.

With every thunderous crash of heavy weapons fire against the Angel's gleaming hide, there was a small, almost unnoticed pulse of multi-coloured energy rippling out from the point of impact.

"Taxpayers money at work." Misato drawled, watching as the Angel made its way through the neverending hail of weapons fire. "What's the status of Unit One's pilot?"

"He's reported ready – they're loading him into Unit One now." Maya replied, and Misato nodded, crossing her arms as she gazed at the screen, and at the otherworldly creature it depicted.

"As soon as he's locked in and ready, patch me through. I don't want to deploy him just yet." The Captain said.

_This Angel seems large – and moves in an atypical fashion. I believe the EVA might have an advantage in the cramped, close quarters of the city – after all, it's far more manoeuvrable, and with a martial artist like Shinji at the controls…_

"Filling LCL now. Electrolysing." Maya chirped, fingers flying over her keyboard.

After a few seconds, the activation process was complete, and Misato stepped forward, beside the technician.

"Patch me through, please." The captain asked, and the technician nodded. With a few quick keystrokes, the monitor changed to a view of Shinji's face in the Entry Plug of Unit One, and he looked up, a little surprised.

"Misato…" The boy said, voice soft. As Misato focused on Shinji's face, she could make out what appeared to be injuries – some bruising on his left cheek and a small cut on his bottom lip.

"Holding up alright?" The woman asked, with a small smile nonetheless. Behind her, Asuka approached, peering over the Captain's shoulder.

"Yeah." Shinji replied, steadily, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "Is Asuka there?"

Misato turned around slightly to find the redhead all but leaning over her – and with a small sigh, let the girl past to talk to the boy on the other end.

"Is it true you got into a fight already?" Asuka asked, with a small grin on her face.

"What? How do you know about that?" Shinji replied, somewhat taken aback.

"Word travels fast around that school. Heard you won – but if that cut on your lip is any indication…"

"I…didn't want to hurt him that badly. Let him get a few in." The boy murmured, cricking his neck slightly. "Kinda regretting it now, though."

"You always do." Asuka said, then shifted around for a bit, before speaking.

"Listen, Shinji – you were a little timid in the last fight, and I got a little banged up because of it. Before you say anything, I'm not blaming you – I'm warning you." Her expression hardened, as she looked at her companion.

"Don't give that thing a single chance, or it could tear you apart. Just kill it, and get home. Got that, baka?"

After a second or so, Shinji gave a firm nod, smiling, and Asuka returned the smile, before stepping back. Misato moved back in front of the redhead, and glanced at the monitor.

"Ready, Shinji?"

"…Yeah, ready."

The Captain nodded, and then took a small breath.

"Alright….Launch!"

* * *

**Boom! First chapter after a little December break. I'll try to keep a constant flow of content coming, to keep all of you followers satisfied. Hopefully I can manage a chapter every other day, at minimum. Please read and review, I need your criticism!  
**


	17. Episode 4 - Rising Dragon - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

"I said forget it, Kensuke." Toji muttered, over the muted din of their other classmate's conversations. "We're staying here, no question about it." The boy crossed his arms, and across from him, his bespectacled friend groaned.

"Come on, Toji! Don't you want to see them? Once in a lifetime opportunity, and you know it!" Kensuke leaned a little closer, enthusiasm shining in his eyes. "All I need to do is get one good video, one good picture –"the boy held up his video camera for emphasis, "And we can head back to the shelter!"

The two, along with the rest of their school's second year, were currently in a specially assigned shelter, sent to wait out the Angel attack. It was a spacious room, with mats spread out around the cold, metal floor. Groups chatted eagerly about various matters – but many spoke about the Angel, and the EVA that would be sent to defend against it.

At the back of his mind, Toji knew that there would, in all likelihood, be many more battles to come – but that didn't stop him from praying every night that the next time was the last – he couldn't bear to think that the next attack might get his sister for good, or his father.

As he dwelled on the matter, he found his thoughts drifting to the boy – Shinji Ikari – who had beaten him earlier that day.

_Guy's fast….strong. And that technique he used to finish me off…no question that that guy's one of a kind. If my jaw's any indication, I'd do well to stay on his good side. Wonder if the girl that arrived with him is a fighter as well? Certainly looked like one…_

_He apologised for Sakura – didn't think he had it in him. Why do I get the feeling those two are full of surprises?_

"Please, Toji – hey, hey!" Kensuke squawked as Toji plucked the video camera out of his hands, and held it up. "Come on, Toji, don't be like that…" He groaned, watching as the dark-haired boy began to call over to the Class Representative.

"Class Rep! Hey, Class Rep!" Toji waved his hand a little for emphasis, and soon enough, Hikari Horaki stalked over, her posture rigidly straight and her expression tense.

"Y – yes, Toji?" The girl asked, her voice strained, and the boy frowned a little.

_Guess all this stress is beginning to get to her. Tough break._

"Listen – Kensuke won't shut up about going outside to watch that robot and monster square off, so I figure it's better if you keep his camera. You know, just to be safe." Behind the two, Kensuke grumbled, and Hikari nodded slowly in understanding.

As she took the video camera from Toji, her hands fumbled, fingers brushing along his hands for a moment. Red coloured her cheeks, but she kept a straight face – and as she walked away, camera held in one hand, Toji quirked a curious eyebrow.

_What was that about?_

* * *

Across the room, Hikari returned to where the other class representatives were sitting, but remained standing, and stealing glances at the camera every so often. Eventually, one of the other representatives, a transfer student from Brazil, spoke up. "Hey, Horaki. You alright? You seem…distracted."

Hikari's head jerked up, and she tried to smile affably.

"Oh, it's nothing, Matsuda. But thanks…"

The girl looked around the room, to her class, then back to the class representatives, then to the class and back again, before she finally continued.

"Listen…I need to go to the…bathroom for a bit. Would it be alright if you watched 2-A for me, Matsuda?" Hikari asked, her voice wavering more than once. The dark-skinned boy to her right hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and she offered a grateful bow before beginning to move to the exit of the shelter.

Once she had disappeared behind the automatic doors, she let out a breath, and then began to sprint towards the surface, camera held tightly in one hand, her face twisted with fear and agitation.

_Damn the clan. Damn this!_

* * *

Shinji let out a small noise of discomfort, his eyes closing and his jaw tightening as the launch mechanism blasted him and his EVA up to the surface of Tokyo-3. The rush of gravity pressed him into the seat, and it was nearly impossible to look up. Instead Shinji focused on preparing himself for the battle in the seconds that he had left.

_Breathe in…breathe out. In…out…feel your hado. Feel it wash over you, like a cool wave. Feel it surge throughout your body, feel its energy soak your muscles._

When Shinji opened his eyes, it was to natural daylight, and as soon as the clamps holding the EVA in place were released, he slid into a stance, beginning to look around and stalk through the buildings. Misato's voice came over the communications system, but Shinji's main focus was on finding the Angel first.

"Shinji, I realise we haven't had time to train you in the use of weapons, but we've sent up a high-caliber pistol for you. It should be illuminated on your display – see if you can get to it."

Nodding absentmindedly, the boy looked around for a few more seconds, then noticed that one of the buildings two blocks away was highlighted in the EVA's vision, a bright blue film over the structure. A small holographic window popping up besides the building indicated that it was a weapons depot – and contained the weapon Misato had sent up.

EVA Unit One began to move towards the building, keeping a watchful eye out all the while, ready and waiting for its enemy. As Shinji approached the weapons depot, he spoke, voice hushed.

"Misato, where is this thing? I can't see anything…"

It took a moment for Misato to reply, her voice slow and steady.

"We're…not sure. We're getting a definite blue pattern, but the reading is spread out across the city. You're going to have to locate it."

In the background, Shinji could vaguely hear a familiar voice mutter "Mein Gott…" and smiled slightly, despite the circumstances.

"Understood, Captain." He replied, approaching the depot from behind. Looking over the building for a moment, he came to the conclusion that it must have opened up on the other side, and he willed the EVA to pad around, its tentative steps still shaking the ground despite the fact that they were taken with care.

Coming around the building, Shinji observed that the building was more like a case than anything – inside, an EVA-sized pistol was hung by several massive supports, and he reached in, plucking the weapon from them.

"Simple operation, Shinji. Aim, and fire." Misato's voice came, as he felt the weight of the weapon in the EVA's hand. His finger slowly slipped into the trigger guard, and he took a moment to try aiming down the street, to get a feel for the sighting.

_First time holding a gun…feels strange. Has a weight to it – but also a comforting solidity. Hopefully I can deal with the recoil on the fly – _

"Shinji, behind y –"

The Captain didn't even have time to finish her sentence before the EVA span around on its heels. Leaping back, it began to pull the trigger of the gun, and each shot from the weapon shook the windows of the skyscrapers surrounding the behemoth.

Bright yellow tracer slugs flashed out, and impacted harmlessly against the crimson hide of the Angel, the A.T Field coming to life with every impact and dissipating the destructive force. It was now somewhat upright, appearing to balance on a section of its tail.

The arm-like limbs that had been previously crossed hung at its sides, and from the end of each arm, a long, glowing line of pink energy hung, coiling onto the street and, to Shinji's alarm, beginning to melt the concrete.

Just below the head, and above the ribcage–like structure at the top of its chest, was the Angel's core – gleaming red and shining in the daylight. Instinctively, Shinji hefted the weapon again, and fired twice – he was surprised that he managed to handle the recoil well, and from what he could tell, both of his shots were on target – but both of them were dissipated by the A.T. Field.

Frowning, Shinji lowered his weapon, and began to step away, chewing his lip.

"Orders?" He asked, hoping Misato would reply promptly.

"Remain out of its effective range, Shinji. See what it can do before you try anything." The Captain's voice came, solid and reassuring. The boy nodded, backing away further. However, without much warning, the Angel lashed out, the glowing lengths of energy lashing out like whips.

Letting out a surprised gasp, Shinji managed to weave out of the way of one, but the other clipped him across the chest, and he hissed as he felt the sting of a burn. Asuka's voice rang out over the comm.

"Shinji, watch out –"There was the sound of muttering, and then it was Misato's voice that continued.

"Stay back, Shinji." The woman warned, and the boy blinked, before speaking.

"I'm fine, Asuka. Just a little surprised. Misato, that pistol isn't doing anything – and I don't think I can get close without getting one of those whips in my face. Orders?"

There was no reply for several seconds, and Shinji chanced a glance at the holographic window – he could see Misato pursing her lips, obviously thinking hard, but a second's distraction was all the Angel needed, and it sprang forward, its whips of light lashing out at the EVA.

With a noise of surprise, Shinji backpedalled once again, and he felt the back of the EVA crash into a building behind him. Looking up, he saw the Angel loom above him, and his eyes widened as it approached for another attack.

_And I can't use my hado, either. Now what?_

* * *

A lone form sprinted down the hillside, at impressive speeds, bounding over rocks and the occasional branch.

Eyes occasionally flicking to the scene of battle she could spy in the middle of the city, Hikari dashed down the surface of the hill. Her toes squelched in the mud – her shoes and socks had been removed, and replaced with wraps around her shin and instep. They allowed for greater dexterity and balance, and she needed it, especially when making her way across any kind of obstacles at speed.

Letting out a small pant, she dashed over the face of a large boulder, and leapt off the edge, the skirt of her school uniform fluttering in the wind. Hands extended, she caught the sturdy branch of a tall tree, and pulled herself up quickly, perching on it and gazing down at the chaos happening a mile or so away.

_All the clan needs is a minute or so of video – and a few pictures. It was sheer luck that Kensuke was going to try something stupid, and brought this camera – his silly habits will get him killed one day, I just know it…_

She fiddled with the camera for a brief moment, before managing to switch on the video mode. Pressing the record button, Hikari held it up, looking at the tiny screen on its side to make sure it was capturing images of the battle, and not of the forest floor beneath her – she wasn't the most technologically savvy person in her circle of friends, or the clan, much to her dismay.

The girl failed to make out anything save for the strange, serpentine form of the Angel for a few moments, before it jerked, and the building in front of it exploded, a humanoid form in white and red armour being cast through the rubble, whilst whips of light lashed through, searching for their target. A large, dark cable was cast asunder in the wreckage, the end sparking as it was torn away from the EVA's back.

"Umbilical cable cut! EVA has switched to internal batteries!" Maya called, and behind her, both Misato and Asuka cursed.

The EVA rolled back, quickly getting to its feet, and it began to quickly back away from the Angel, which followed, its whips held out in front of it, the lengths lashing out threateningly.

After some hesitation, the EVA charged the creature in front of it, while trying to avoid getting hit with the lightning-quick whips. It managed to evade them, and for a few seconds, Hikari watched in awe, keeping the camera pointed at the scuffle – whoever was piloting the machine, had obvious skill as a fighter – the way they bobbed and weaved over and under the attacks.

However, the behemoth eventually stumbled, and the girl bit her lip in concern, before she let out a small squeak of shock – the Angel had wrapped its whips around the EVA's legs, and with an inhuman wail of what must have been exertion, began to heft it up.

Hikari barely had time to move off her perch before the monster flicked its whips out, and sent the EVA soaring through the air – directly towards her. Cursing – and berating herself for it immediately afterwards, she leapt down to a lower perch, aiming to get away before she became an unexpected casualty of war.

_This is insane! This is absolutely insane!_

She looked up, and for a brief moment, screamed – the EVA was falling down from the sky to flatten the tree, the mountainside, and her like a pancake. With no alternatives left, she hooked the camera onto the waist of her skirt, and leapt off the branch.

She hit the soft ground as gracefully as she could – which was not graceful at all, in retrospect. Thankfully, she didn't break any bones, but she began to tumble down the hillside, letting out a few small sounds of pain.

_Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…_

Above her, the EVA crashed into the hill, shaking it, and as Hikari eventually came to a stop, she looked up to see the Angel fast approaching. Covered in grass and mud, with torn clothing and hair in disarray, she groaned and began to run as fast as she could, away from the scene of destruction.

_How the hell am I going to explain this to my classmates? _

_I hope no one saw me – that'd be even worse than getting killed…but at least I got some good video. _

With shaking fingers, she popped open the camera's card slot, and slid out the precious memory card, tucking it into her left ankle wraps. Deciding it would be wise to wait until the battle had finished, before making her way back, Hikari found a nice, safe rock to cower behind, and watched the confrontation play out.

* * *

Groaning, Shinji shook his head to clear it, then looked up – the Angel was still approaching.

"Shinji, talk to me. Shinji!" Misato's firm, demanding voice was a grounding force, and he swallowed, replying.

"Yeah, I'm here, I'm good." The boy murmured, willing the EVA to sit up as the creature in front of it drew ever closer.

"I need you to retreat, right now. The military will take care of the Angel for now, you need to get clear before the Angel does any more damage to you."

"But they'll stand even less of a chance!" Shinji exclaimed, eyes widening. The Angel was almost within range to attack him once more, and he rose to his feet, a little unsteady on the uneven surface of the hill.

"Shinji, this is an order. Retreat, right now – you only have two minutes of battery power left!" The Captain commanded, and the boy almost obeyed, such was the power in her voice.

* * *

"Is he ever gonna stop hesitating? Baka…" Asuka murmured, watching the EVA on the main monitor. Her expression was guarded, save for her eyes – the sapphire orbs were wide and concerned.

"Shinji!" Misato all but shouted, into the communications system. "Move, now!"

Several bridge crew, and Asuka, gasped as the Angel's whips of light flashed through the air, reaching for the EVA's neck – and quieted suddenly as the giant caught them in its hands.

* * *

Groaning as the energy from the whips began to burn away at the plating on the EVA's hands, Shinji nonetheless kept a firm grip, trying to detach and focus on his _hado_ to distract himself from the pain.

_No. You can't detach now! Let the pain keep you in the moment, because you need to find a way to take this thing down, right now!_

Slowly, but surely, the boy used the whips to drag himself closer to the Angel, Misato's loud commands all but an afterthought. Within a few moments, both the EVA and the Angel were only a few meters apart, the two forms writhing against each other as they struggled for dominance.

Wrestling with the searing lengths of energy, Shinji hefted one up with a hiss of pain, trying to keep control of it even as the Angel tugged. The whip shook and swung about as the two fought over it, and for a brief second, the side of it met the hide of the Angel.

The creature let out an otherworldly wail, one that caused the boy inside the EVA to shudder, but didn't distract him from a new discovery. There was now a very prominent scorch mark where the whip had met the crimson skin.

_Guns may not be able to hurt the Angel…but it can hurt itself._

Shinji came to a resolution – and as the battery timer rang out with only one minute left, he steeled himself.

_This is gonna suck…_

As quickly as he could – which was not as fast as he would have liked, given that the Angel was fighting him at every turn, Shinji wrapped the fists and forearms of his EVA in the energy whips. The armour plating was scorched away in a matter of seconds, but the – flesh, Shinji noted with alarm – seemed to be holding up. His pain was an afterthought as he focused on one thing alone – the destruction of the enemy.

The Angel bucked wildly, and EVA Unit One attacked, its first punch burning deep into the hide.

With a scream, the creature tried to pull back, but in doing so it only pulled the EVA along into it, and with a battle cry, Shinji began to punch for all he was worth.

_Thirty-five seconds left!_

* * *

All eyes were on the monitor as EVA Unit One wrestled and struck the Angel. Misato was silent, her face a tight mask – obviously her orders were no good now.

Beside her, Asuka watched, but her previously concerned expression was giving way to a smaller, brighter one.

_Come on, baka. You can do this!_

* * *

A powerful hook from the EVA tore away a chunk of the head, and a gutshot sank into the Angel's ribcage, shattering it.

Shinji gritted his teeth in concentration, eyes flitting over to the timer for the briefest of moments.

_Twenty seconds! Come on, die already!_

With a powerful push of the EVA's legs, the Angel was tackled down the mountainside, and both it and the EVA tumbled down into an ungainly mess at the bottom. With desperate pants, Shinji struggled to right himself on top of the Angel.

_Twelve seconds!_

The creature below him was sluggish in its movements now – but still very much alive. His hands felt numb, like all the nerves were dead, and it made his next move all the more difficult. After three punches around the gleaming red core of the Angel, Shinji reached out with the EVA's charred, stiff hands, and tried to tug it free from the monster.

_Eight seconds…_

His hands wrapped around the sphere, and Shinji braced the EVA against the ground. With a cry of exertion, he began to pull as hard as he could.

_Five!_

The core remained in place.

_Four! _

It gave a little, the crimson hide of the Angel beginning to split.

_Three!_

More of the flesh gave way, and the core was almost in Shinji's grasp. The Angel was all but dead now, but its energy whips still burned brightly.

_Two!_

With a wet, ripping sound, most of the flesh anchoring the core down came free, but it was still attached. Shinji screamed in effort.

_One!_

The core tore free, and EVA Unit One fell back with the red orb still clutched in its ruined hands. In front of it, the Angel died quietly, its whips of light darkened to a dull grey.

Inside the Entry Plug, Shinji panted, eyes wide as he gazed up at the darkened interior of the capsule.

He then promptly passed out.

* * *

"Blue Pattern has been neutralised – Angel destroyed, ma'am." Aoba called out, turning to face Misato.

"Commence recovery operations. Get the pilot back." She said, voice clipped and professional.

_Shinji Ikari, you and I are going to have words when this is all over._

Behind the Captain, Asuka let out a sigh of relief, caring little for her superior's frosty disposition.

_Nice one, baka. Nice one._

* * *

**Scratch one more Angel. More chapters coming soon! As always, please read and review!**


	18. Interlude 04 - MAGI Access Log 200815

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_**Welcome to MAGI.**_

* * *

_**Please select your desired option;**_

_**\- Personnel Files**_

_**\- Project-E**_

_**\- Operations**_

_**\- Tactical**_

_**\- System**_

_**\- Tokyo-3 Mainframe**_

_**\- Communications**_

_**\- User Accounts**_

* * *

_**Personnel Files require a level 5 clearance to access. Please input your username and password below.**_

* * *

**USERNAME: FUYUTSUKI04091956**

**PASSWORD: **************

* * *

_**Welcome, VICE COMMANDER**_

* * *

_**Personnel Roster**_

_**\- Technical**_

_**\- EVA Operations**_

_**\- Section-2 Security**_

_**\- Children**_

* * *

_**Children – Roster**_

_**\- Active**_

_**\- Inactive**_

* * *

_**Children – Active – Roster**_

_**\- Ikari, Shinji**_

_**\- Sohryu, Asuka Langley**_

_**\- Ayanami, Rei**_

* * *

_**Personnel Files – Ayanami Rei**_

_**\- Biographical Information**_

_**\- Piloting Statistics**_

_**\- Medical Records**_

_**\- Surveillance and Security**_

* * *

_**Surveillance and Security**_

_**\- Most Recent**_

_**\- Archive**_

* * *

_**Most Recent Surveillance Footage**_

**\- 20/08/2015**

**\- 19/08/2015**

**\- 18/08/2015**

**\- 17/08/2015**

**\- 16/08/2015**

**\- 15/08/2015**

**\- 14/08/2015**

* * *

**18/08/2015 – 15:38 PM – OFFICE OF IKARI, GENDO**

_**Automatic Transcription enabled**_

**IKARI, GENDO: Your training. Is there progress?**

**AYANAMI, REI: Yes. Hibiki-sensei informs me that I am making impressive progress in mastering his techniques. However, he maintains that I should be held back. **

**IKARI, GENDO: Do you know why he has such an opinion?**

**AYANAMI, REI: He believes that a master martial artist must have proper restraint. Over the past two months I have cracked several of his ribs, broken his right wrist, and bruised his tailbone.**

**IKARI, GENDO: Please inform Hibiki that your training is to move forward immediately. I do not encourage holding back under any circumstances.**

**AYANAMI, REI: Understood, sir. Will there be anything else?**

**IKARI, GENDO: Your Super Solenoid organ – there has been no unusual activity since the arrival of the Angel?**

**AYANAMI, REI: None, sir. **

**IKARI, GENDO: I see. You are free to go.**

**AYANAMI, REI: Yes, sir.**

**IKARI, GENDO: One moment, Rei.**

**AYANAMI, REI: Sir?**

**IKARI, GENDO: Have you encountered the Second and Third Children yet?**

**AYANAMI, REI: I and the Third observed each other in the medical wing for a brief moment yesterday – but there was no verbal or physical contact.**

**IKARI, GENDO: Do you have an opinion of him?**

**AYANAMI, REI: ...Not yet, sir. I believe I would need more substantial contact with him in order to formulate such. **

**IKARI, GENDO: Very well. Doctor Akagi informs me your injuries should be fully healed within the week – I believe the upcoming Friday will be best suited for another activation test of Unit Zero.**

**AYANAMI, REI: I understand, sir.**

**IKARI, GENDO: That will be all. **

**AYANAMI, REI: Yes, sir.**

_**Closing file.**_

* * *

_**Log off?**_

* * *

_**Goodbye, VICE COMMANDER**_


	19. Episode 4 - Rising Dragon - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Slowly, Shinji opened his eyes, and stared at a familiar ceiling.

_The dojo._

Dressed in his white gi and headband, his red gloves fastened around his hands, the boy pushed himself up into a sitting position, gazing around the silent, empty room. The setting sun painted the dojo in dusky, warm colours as its light shone in through the semi-transparent panelling of the doors and windows.

Standing up, Shinji blinked in confusion, beginning to walk down the length of the dojo.

_Am I dreaming? I must be – wasn't I in the EVA?_

At the end of the dojo, there was a small table, with a set of drawers underneath. On top of the table, lay a framed picture – him, Gouken-sensei, and Asuka, all liberally bruised and sporting wide grins after an intense training session.

Senzo had taken that picture, he remembered, and had then dashed off into town to purchase a liberal amount of painkillers when muscles swelled and sprains became evident. But despite the pain, it was a good memory – the day he had finally become proficient with the _Shoryuken._

"You can't keep clinging to the past, Shinji."

The boy whirled around, and met the eyes of Asuka. Also dressed in her gi and gloves, she made her way towards him, the boards creaking underneath her bare feet. Her voice was eerily toneless, her eyes empty of emotion. Shinji backed up slightly as his friend drew closer.

He blinked, and suddenly, Asuka was garbed in her scarlet plugsuit.

"Just like you can't deny that things are going to change between us." The girl whispered, now only a few feet away from him.

Wordlessly, Shinji glanced away, only for the redhead to grasp his chin and force him to look at her.

"Your time with _Sensei _is finished – and there's nothing keeping us apart any longer." Asuka murmured, and then began to tug the boy's chin closer, insistent. Her eyes began to drift shut, her lips puckered slightly, and Shinji closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable contact.

It never came.

Shinji fell back on his rear, and stared down at the floor in front of him. The girl was gone, and he stood up, staring at the spot where Asuka had once stood.

"**You have tasted true battle for the first time, and learned much. Gouken teaches you no longer."**

Eyes darting upward again at the sound of a heavily distorted male voice, Shinji's eyes widened as he saw another figure – this time, standing just out of the path of the light, hiding in the shadows. He could tell that the figure was built similar to him, and that he wore a gi, headband and gloves – but little else in the low light.

"**The fight only begins when you wager everything – even your life – on the outcome. True challenge will only find you when there is blood waiting to be spilled."**

There was something familiar about the voice, Shinji realised – but he couldn't quite place it.

"**Only when your foe's absolute destruction is your objective, are you truly whole. You wished for nothing else save the death of the Angel, and have set yourself on the path to completion." **The figure growled, and the boy across from him swallowed, speaking for the first time since he had awoken in the dojo.

"Who are you?" Shinji asked.

Without reply, the mysterious presence moved forward, letting the light fall across it, and Shinji stared at _himself – _but at the same time, he was staring at something else entirely.

What was once a white gi was darkened with soot, dirt and dried blood – his red gloves had been burnt black, the leather split and revealing stuffing – and the boy's mouth fell open as he gazed at the other's features.

Soft brown hair had been replaced by unruly tufts of blood red, and lips pulled back into a feral snarl revealed sharpened, elongated canines. The other Shinji's skin was darker, duskier, and his eyes with glowing scarlet malice.

However, those weren't the most jarring qualities the strange doppelganger possessed – in the centre of his upper torso, there was a strange, circular scar – like a depression that had been slowly burnt into the flesh. Veins circled the scar, and snaked outwards from it, glowing with what could only be described as lava.

"**I am your future, Shinji Ikari." **

Scarlet flames flashed across his bizarre clone, and suddenly it was inches away from him.

"…I was only trying to survive. That creature would have killed me and everyone else –"

A brutally strong hand seized him by the neck, cutting his speech off and hefting him up into the air. Shinji tried to smash the hand away, tried to escape its grip, but already his vision was beginning to darken.

"**Do not try to deny me! Simply accept me for what I am – part of you. Undeniably so." **The Not-Shinji hissed, his eyes flashing red once more as Shinji's windpipe began to deform beneath his grasp.

"**Or else you will face torture. Of your soul and your body. Gouken, Asuka, Misato, everything you care for will burn to ash unless you embrace the Satsui no Hado – the Surge of Murderous Intent!"**

Shinji's eyes rolled back into his head as the berserk doppelganger choked the life from him – and loud voices echoed from somewhere beyond the dojo, as the room began to quake wildly.

* * *

_"Wake up, Shinji!"_

Eyes wide with alarm, Asuka shook Shinji's shoulder firmly as the boy thrashed on the stretcher, gasping for breath and reaching his arms out blindly.

"What's wrong with him?" The redhead asked, her voice agitated as she looked up at Misato and the two medics who were attending to him.

"It must be some kind of nightmare." Misato murmured, remaining stoic and watching as the boy convulsed without any obvious reason.

"Did the EVA do something to him?" Asuka asked, fearful as Shinji's writhing became more and more violent.

"We don't think so." One of the medics replied, then started whenever Misato grabbed Shinji's face roughly. "Captain, what are you –"

Misato reached back, and then gave Shinji a powerful, painful slap, one that almost knocked his upper body off the stretcher. Immediately, he awoke, sucking in air and sitting up straight. Asuka was at his side in an instant, her hand on his back as she knelt down beside him.

"Wondering when you were going to wake up, baka." The girl murmured, slapping his back lightly. She furrowed her brow slightly as Shinji pulled away blindly, awkwardly scrambling off the stretcher and onto the concrete of the street.

"Wha – What happened?" The boy asked, his hands coming up to unconsciously trace around the muscles of his neck.

"You destroyed the Angel." Asuka replied, somewhat bemused. "They pulled you out of the Entry Plug, but you were unconscious – you started thrashing whenever we tried to revive you."

In front of her, Shinji nodded slowly, his hands leaving his neck, and looked up, past his friend and his commander. Some ways behind the two, the gargantuan form of Unit One lay, limp across the ground from where it had collapsed when he fainted.

Misato glanced back at Asuka, speaking quietly.

"Me and Shinji need to talk for a bit."

"Oh." The girl replied, slowly drifting away. Her concern for Shinji was etched onto her face, and she kept looking back even as she distanced herself from the pair.

Shinji flinched as Misato's hand came down on his shoulder, gripping it firmly.

"Shinji. What is your duty?" The woman asked, voice icy.

"My duty? To – to pilot EVA. Right?" His tone was unsure, but he was certain of one thing – he was about to be lectured.

"Yes. It is to pilot EVA. But also to obey any and all orders given to you by _me_, your commanding officer. Which you did not do." Misato elaborated.

"But I destroyed the Angel! Nobody had to die!" Shinji burst out, taken aback, but was quieted whenever the grip on his shoulder tightened exponentially.

"Everyone recognises that you alone destroyed the Angel – so do I. But in doing so, you risked yourself, and the lives of everyone else. If your plan hadn't worked, if you had been killed – we would have nothing left to stand against the Angel except Unit Two – and it's still being repaired from the last time – when _Asuka _disobeyed orders."

As Misato presented her case – which, Shinji admitted to himself, carried a very legitimate point – Asuka, and a few of the attending personnel had gathered to watch from a distance.

"Now, you have destroyed the Angel, but what are the consequences? EVA Unit One," - she gestured to her left, indicating the sprawled mass of cybernetic limbs only a few hundred meters away – "will need to undergo extensive repair because of the damage to its arms and hands. What if an Angel attacks during that time, Shinji?"

Shinji didn't say anything, but still met Misato's gaze, beaten but unflinching.

Finally, Misato let out a heavy sigh, and let go of the boy's shoulder, to rub at the bridge of her nose. "Alright, lecture over. Go…do something." She murmured, turning away as Shinji began to drift back over to Asuka.

_These kids are going to be the death of me._

* * *

It had been…something of a challenge, explaining how on the way to the bathroom, she had gotten lost and drawn right into the middle of a battle between a giant robot and a bizarre kaiju, but Hikari Horaki did not pass up challenges – she rose to them.

Thus she had weaved a thrilling tale of near-death and spectacle to her classmates, and indeed, to the entirety of the shelter as they were escorted back out into the supposedly safe city, all the while skipping over why her shoes and socks were perfectly clean when everything else was dirty, or torn.

And when school was over for the day, and Hikari was walking down the street – albeit in a condition that drew more than a few curious stares – all that was on her mind was how good it would feel to climb into the bath and get all this damned dirt off her.

However, as soon as she opened the door, the girl realised that was not to be the case.

Her father wasn't overly muscular, or even that tall – he was only a few inches taller than her, but despite that, he radiated presence and authority, and Hikari found herself glancing down to the ground more than once underneath his piercing gaze.

"You're filthy." He mused, standing wide in the doorway, preventing her from walking into the house.

"Respectfully – I noticed. Father." Hikari said, slowly and carefully. Still, her father remained in her way, and she finally took the hint.

At least, she hoped she did.

Reaching down into her sock, and into the anklewrap beneath, she withdrew the memory card she had pilfered from Kensuke's camera, and held it up for inspection. It was curtly plucked from her, and as her father stared at it, she chewed her lip in anticipation, before he spoke again.

"I am pleased – and surprised – that you succeeded. Go and have a bath."

Hikari sighed in sweet relief, and moved past her father, toeing out of her shoes and beginning to drag herself up the stairs.

"And come back down afterwards – clan business."

She was thankful her father couldn't see her frightful expression from this angle – she'd have probably received a kunai to the face for her troubles.

* * *

Padding down the corridor towards Shinji's room, dressed in khaki shorts and a red tanktop, Asuka paused outside her friend's door. She knocked once, out of curiosity, and listened – there was no answer. It had been hours since the two had returned to the apartment with Misato, and a tension hung in the air.

Whether or not it stemmed from Misato and Shinji's confrontation, she couldn't say – it had been impossible to find him all night. He'd only emerged for a few minutes to struggle through a TV dinner – and then had retreated back to his room.

Finally, Asuka decided that enough was enough, and slowly slid the door of his room open, peering in. The room was almost completely darkened, save for the moonlight shining in through the window. The inquisitive redhead spied a head of brown hair resting against the other side of the bed, and she called out softly.

"Shinji? Alright if I come in?"

Shinji's head appeared to nod, and she closed the door behind her, slowly shuffling over so she could see behind the right side of the bed.

Her friend sat against the bed, staring up at the window blankly. Asuka hesitated, concern flashing over her features at the strange sight, but quickly sat down beside her friend regardless. She opened her mouth to speak, but broke off, and then tried again.

"You alright, baka?"

The boy remained silent, and the redhead ran a frustrated hand through her hair.

"Look – Shinji. You have to talk to someone. If not to me, then Misato."

Nothing.

"_Verdammt, Shinji – " _Asuka whisper-yelled, reaching out and grasping him by the collar. Abruptly, he turned to face her, and she quailed in her aggressive approach when she saw the tear tracks on his cheeks shine in the moonlight.

"Asuka…" Shinji mumbled, eyes still blank, "Do you think I'm a monster?"

Utterly bemused at her friend's first words in hours, Asuka narrowed her eyes, and gave a stunted, awkward reply.

"What – where's this coming from? Of course not. Now get up, you need to –"

"When I was in the EVA – fighting that Angel – I wanted nothing more than for it to die." Shinji said, and his eyes focused in on his friend at last.

"I've never wanted anyone to die in my entire life."

Asuka's lips pursed with the dawn of understanding.

"I was on top of it – ripping and tearing and –"The boy broke off, hugging his knees to his chest.

Beside him, Asuka shuffled closer, and gently wrapped her arms around him.

"It's changing me. The EVA." Shinji mumbled, nearly inaudible. "I don't know how, or why, but I never thought I'd –"

"Listen, baka." The redhead pulled back, and placed her hands on his shoulders, gazing into his eyes.

"I'm only going to say this once – so you better pay attention. You are _not_ a monster. Those things that we fight, _they _are the monsters. What you are is a _hero."_

Asuka stopped abruptly, and it was only because meaningful things like this were difficult to think up – definitely not because seeing her best friend like this killed her inside, and she had to swallow a lump in her throat. She spoke again, with a hint of a rasp.

"And you didn't destroy that thing out of savagery or hatred, you did it because lives were at stake. That's the reason you wanted it to die – so it couldn't hurt anybody else."

Shinji looked down at the ground, as if contemplating this new theory, then looked back up into the redhead's eyes. "You think so?"

"Absolutely." Asuka responded, with a vigorous nod. "You're not a monster, Shinji – you just don't have it in you to be one."

* * *

Towelling her dripping hair, and dressed in a fluffy, pink robe, Hikari let out a pleasant sigh as she moved down the upstairs corridor of her home. Words couldn't describe _how good _it felt to get all that damned mud off of her.

_Hopefully, whatever 'clan business' needs attending downstairs isn't too long-winded. _

_I need to sleep._

_I need to eat._

_I need to –_

In front of Hikari, a human form dropped down, previously unseen, from the ceiling, and she let out a shrill scream, stepping back.

"How ninja of you, sis." The form muttered, dryly, and stood up to its full height.

Kodama Horaki was a tall woman – taller than her father, easily – and although her jet-black mop of hair was a departure from the typical Horaki brown, her blue-grey eyes and freckled cheeks marked her as one of the family without doubt. Dressed in tight workout pants and a sports bra, over which a beige zip-up sweatshirt was worn, her athletic figure was obvious.

"I thought I told you to stop doing that!" Hikari hissed, moving aside to let her sister past her.

"You did. I decided to keep doing it." Kodama supplied, heading for the stairs. "Dad's waiting for us. Come on."

"In _this?" _Hikari gestured to her rather sugary choice of post-bath wear. Without offering a reply, her sister clasped a hand around the younger girl's wrist, and began to drag her down the stairs, despite her protests.

Pulled into the family room, Hikari tried to contain an indignant flush as over fifteen people, all of varying ages, gender and builds stared at her. In the centre of the room, her father sat, and motioned for Kodama to close the door again.

After she had done so, she had Hikari and herself sit behind the bulk of the gathering, as the Horaki patriarch began to speak.

"As I was saying – this new benefactor is promising us _impossible _sums of money and resources, if we can achieve our goal."

A man in his early thirties, with tired eyes and a receding hairline, held up a hand. With a nod, he was given permission to speak, and he glanced around at the group as he did.

"This man chooses to remain anonymous – are you certain he can deliver?"

Hikari's father nodded. "This man is clearly aware of the skill and power of the Horaki Clan – and he knows that to cross us would be to invite death. He is no fool."

He stood up, and looked around the assembled gathering.

"We have been given a singular task. After my daughter was able to deliver on our previous contract," Hikari's father indicated her, and gave a small, proud smile, to which she responded with a demure bow, "our benefactor saw proof of our capabilities. Enough proof to promise us wealth beyond all measure. Brothers and sisters…"

The man reached into his pocket, and produced a photo, which depicted a man in his late forties, with sharp features, a full, trimmed beard, and distinctive tinted glasses.

"We are going to kill Gendo Ikari."

* * *

**Dun dun dun. For the next week I'll be shifting focus away from my Arrow crossover and onto this - hopefully I can get this episode wrapped up and move onto Episode 5!**

**Read and review! **


	20. Episode 4 - Rising Dragon - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

"Are you _insane_?" Hikari burst out, without thinking. "That's – that's –"

"_Quiet_, Hikari!" Her father roared, and the girl quieted, shrinking back away to her previous position with a humiliated blush and a chill in her spine.

A hand came down on Hikari's shoulder, firmly, and she chanced a glance over at Kodama, who returned the gaze with stern eyes. In front of them, their father looked around at the assembled group, before his eyes rested on his daughters once more.

When he spoke, his voice was steely, firm.

"My daughter, Hikari – is in something of a unique position." The man began, watching as the girl in question shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of the entire clan. "Only hours ago did we receive word that the pilots of NERV's Evangelion weapons attend the same school she does – indeed, they have been placed in her own class. This is an opportunity we cannot pass up."

Hikari felt the urge to speak up again, to question what her father was hinting at, but Kodama's firm grip on her shoulder reminded her to keep her mouth shut.

"Over the next two months, Hikari will ingratiate herself with these two children – and once she has, she will then use her connection to those two to tell us anything she can about NERV – its layout, its security measures, anything that could be of aid, all without arising suspicion."

Hikari bristled silently.

_So I'm going to be a mole? And befriend Ikari and Sohryu for all the wrong reasons?_

"And when she has obtained enough information – we will make our move. This operation will require the entirety of the clan, and every scrap of dedication and skill we can muster. NERV is not an opponent to be taken lightly – neither is Gendo Ikari."

Once the group had dispersed, most leaving the house to return to their own homes, Hikari was confronted by both her father and her sister. The two of them wore disapproving expressions, and she felt powerless under their judgemental eyes.

"I think it goes without saying, Hikari – you're slipping up. Despite your performance in the field today, this is not the first time you've lost your composure during clan affairs." Kodama said, her father silent beside her.

Hikari had little choice but to reply quietly, demurely – and the submissive tone in her voice made her blood boil with impotent frustration. "Forgive me, Kodama – Father. I know I haven't had the clan's best interests at heart for some time now, but I –"

Her father held out a hand to silence her, and Hikari quieted, inwardly wincing at the words to come.

"We've heard it all before, Hikari." The man began, crossing his arms. "The first three times, we were willing to afford you leniency – but with such a sensitive operation on the horizon, we can't risk any more of your antics jeopardising our efforts."

"Think about the example you're setting for Nozomi." Kodama interjected, eyes narrowed at her younger sister. "You see your duty to the clan as a burden – something done with regret and hesitance. You dodge training whenever you can, using your studies and obligations at your school as an excuse –"

"I never said it was a burden –" Hikari interrupted, but quieted with another firm stare from her father. Kodama turned to face the man, arms folded.

"With all due respect, father – I believe Hikari needs a trial by fire. Sink or swim, as it were." She said, somewhat cold, and the man faced her, a small measure of interest on her face.

"Go on." He replied, eyes narrowed.

"I'd like to offer myself up to take the shot atIkari, whenever the time comes – and I want Hikari there, at my side."

* * *

A cool evening wind ghosted across the balcony, blowing Misato's fringe out of her eyes as she nursed a lukewarm can of Yebisu. Still dressed in her uniform jacket and skirt, she stared out at Tokyo-3, her eyes tracing the form of every towering building and tiny tenement.

_We saved all of that today. We saved even more than that, in truth._

_So why do I feel so bereft? So lost?_

She looked back through the glass doors leading back into the apartment, watching as Asuka padded across to the kitchenette.

_I haven't seen Shinji in hours._ _Didn't think that lecture would spook him that badly._

_Then again – when he was thrashing on that stretcher – there might have been something else amiss. _

_What the hell, it doesn't matter. So far you've done a subpar job of acclimatising two children to a new, bizarre life – and the cracks are already beginning to show. _

Misato lifted the can to her lips again, but received only a dribble of beer. She gave the can a small shake, and when she didn't hear liquid sloshing about, cursed silently, and crumpled the can in her hand, tossing it over the balcony without care. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose, and turned, leaning back against the railing of the balcony, as she looked into her new home once more.

It was empty again – Asuka had most likely disappeared inside her room again, and there was no evidence of any kind of life inside the apartment. Even Pen-Pen was nestled inside his fridge – Misato wouldn't be surprised if the penguin had sensed the tension and chosen to remain inside.

At the moment, she wouldn't say no to nestling herself in a cold, dark place herself, and getting a few hours' sleep.

From out of the corner of her eye, she spotted movement, and she focused on the corridor leading into the main room, pursing her lips.

Slowly, Shinji stepped out, still dressed in his casual t-shirt and jeans. His eyes were somewhat reddened, but his expression appeared a great deal sunnier than the dour boy who had disappeared into his room after dinner.

Misato straightened up on the balcony, watching as the boy approached, and shifted to the left side of the balcony as he slid the door open, silently stepping out beside her.

The two avoided each other's gaze for several moments, and when Misato finally found the strength to speak, so did Shinji – the two started, then stopped to let the other speak, then started again – eventually Misato stopped herself, and spoke.

"You first."

The boy nodded in response, and inhaled before replying.

"I'm sorry, Misato. " Shinji breathed, looking up at the woman. "For today, for – for disobeying your orders, and for shutting myself in my room. I should be better than that –"

"Wait, Shinji." Misato said, stepping forward to interrupt. "You don't need to apologise."

"I do." The boy replied, bowing his head slightly. "I do. And I promise that I won't act like that again, if I can help it."

Across from him, Misato looked out at the sprawling cityscape of Tokyo-3, then back to him again. "I'll accept your apology, Shinji…" she began, voice somewhat heavy. "If you accept mine."

The boy looked up, a measure of confusion on his face.

"Ever since I brought you and Asuka here, I've tried to make things easier for you – tried to make things seem normal. But I was wasting my time, being a fool to myself." Misato leant against the railing once more, and sighed.

"Nothing about this is normal." She continued, and gestured out at the city. "And I was holding you up to impossible standards, given the circumstances. You were only doing what you thought was right – to protect people. And I threw that back at you, along with a reprimand."

"I took you away from a safe, caring home, and threw you into the midst of this insanity – I expected you to act like any other soldier." Misato murmured, ignoring Shinji's attempts to humbly interject.

"And to be honest – you've been doing _impossibly _well. And I had the _gall_ to call you out on that –"

Suddenly, some of the wind left the woman's lungs as a weight impacted softly against her – it was only when arms looped around her that she realised Shinji was hugging her.

"Apology accepted." The boy murmured, face buried in her jacket.

After a moment of hesitation, Misato closed her eyes, and returned the hug, swallowing.

"I hate to break up the moment, but there's a call for you, Misato."

The two broke apart suddenly, and sought the source of the voice – Asuka stood just behind the doorway, a phone in her hand, with a small, triumphant smirk on her face.

"Nice to see you two made up."

* * *

"It was a stroke of luck that your son was able to recover the Angel's core in such condition." Fuyutsuki observed, watching as several teams of construction crews worked in tandem to transport the scarlet, spherical heart of the Fourth Angel on a motorised tread. "But the Old Men will most likely desire it for other purposes."

"Unit Four is nearing completion in Nevada." Gendo said, watching beside the older man. "No doubt they will attempt to install it on the EVA – another ace in the hole that they control."

"Besides the EVA Series? Clearly, they have little concept of moderation." Fuyutsuki mused, with a tight expression on his face.

"Little more than a reflection of how insecure they ultimately feel." The Commander replied, sharply.

"Perhaps." Fuyutsuki murmured, hands behind his back, before he turned and began to stroll away from the window. "Ikari – what are your intentions towards your son? He has proven complacent so far."

"So far. I doubt that will last for long." Gendo said, also moving away from the window.

"And what about the Second? I haven't seen much of her – but she appears to have a strong bond with your son." Fuyutsuki inquired, as he and the Commander left the observation deck.

"For now, it only appears to strengthen their performance in battle – their confrontation with the Third Angel is evidence of that." Gendo replied, coolly. "However, if it obstructs the scenario in any form, I will not hesitate to _shatter_ it."

* * *

The next day didn't find Shinji and Asuka back at the school – but at NERV, to some measure of dismay from both of them.

They had been split up – Asuka had been sent to the Pribnow Box to immediately begin training in the simulation bodies, whilst Shinji had been ferried over to the Medical Wing, and poked and prodded at by Doctor Akagi.

Thankfully, it was a short examination, and Shinji was given some time to wander around the base before he was called to begin his own training. He found himself walking the paths to the locker rooms, to the command bridge – and eventually, to the EVA Cages.

Shinji lingered at the door for a brief moment, before he walked through. Shoes clapping along the walkway, he looked out at the scarlet form of EVA Unit Two.

A scaffolding of sorts had been extended out to its damaged shoulder, and numerous technicians and workers scurried across it and the top of the shoulder, occasionally shouting out to a partner or co-worker.

The boy then walked on further, past the crimson titan, and came to face the bone-white helmet of Unit One. There were no repair crews, as far as he could see – the EVA had been submerged in LCL below its shoulders – but on closer inspection he could see faint lights shining up through the dark liquid.

_They must be working underwater…_

Sighing, he glanced back up at the face of the EVA. Images of the battle against the two Angels flashed through his mind, and suddenly, Shinji felt somewhat tired, heavy. He slumped down, legs dangling over the edge of the walkway, arms resting on the middle rung of the railing, and stared at Unit One.

_It's such an impossible creature – and I'm meant to control it._

_How can I be sure that it isn't controlling me?_

Shinji's hand came up to idly massage his throat as he remembered his strange vision – and the violent, twisted doppelganger who had tried to kill him.

_Satsui no Hado…_

_Maybe, if I see Gouken-sensei again, I'll ask him about it._

Inhaling, Shinji let his eyes drift shut, leaning his upper body against the middle rung of the railing. He concentrated on the passage of his breathing, seeking the calm, solid presence of his _hado _in the midst of all the uncertainty that surrounded him.

"That is not a recommended rest area." A toneless, feminine voice intoned, from somewhere behind him.

Shinji's eyes snapped open, and he quickly drew his legs in, back under him, and he stood up, turning to face the new arrival – Ayanami. Her crimson eyes were benign, but they bored into his all the same.

The two stared at each other, silent, as mechanical sounds and loud voices reverberated around the expanse of the cage. Eventually, the girl turned to walk away, the soles of her school shoes scuffing across the metallic deck.

"Wait!" Shinji blurted out, and then blushed slightly, ashamed at his blunt manner. In front of him, Ayanami turned again, and approached with a look that seemed somewhat displeased. However, her entire manner was inscrutable, making any kind of judgement difficult.

"I – I was wondering if I could get your name. Your full name – I don't know much about you." The boy offered, meekly. Across from him, Ayanami seemed to contemplate this, before speaking in her small, quiet voice.

"Rei Ayanami."

Shinji nodded, mouthing the name silently, rolling it over in his mind before he replied.

"Shinji Ikari." The boy said, and Rei blinked in response.

Without any audible reply, she turned around, and began to walk away once more.

Shinji's face fell, and he sighed, gazing at the unmoving face of Unit One. Above him, the intercom rang out.

"**Would Shinji Ikari please report to the Pribnow Box? Repeat, would Shinji Ikari please report to the Pribnow box?"**

With one last glance at the armoured titan before him, Shinji allowed himself a brief moment of silent hesitance, and then set off for the Pribnow Box, his only companion the ever=present stench of blood that had wafted up onto his clothes.

* * *

**And that's Episode Four wrapped up! Read and review!**


	21. Episode 5 - Active Red - Part 1

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Backing up along the training mats, Shinji brought his hands up, ready to defend as Asuka pressed the offence, sending a flurry of lightning-quick jabs at his face and torso. His hands parrying or blocking the strikes, Shinji pivoted in towards Asuka at the last second, catching the last of his opponent's punches in his left hand whilst he hooked his right arm behind her bicep.

With a grunt, he tossed the girl over his shoulder, and watched as she landed heavily on the training mats, before recovering quickly.

The two were dressed in baggy shorts and tank-tops, both wearing their padded gloves, with Shinji having worn his white headband for the training session.

Early morning's light shone through the tiny windows of the gym – a small, grimy establishment tucked away near the city's center that they'd discovered coming back from school - and cast long shadows against walls lined with newspaper clippings and trophies, metal dulled with age and neglect.

Narrowing her eyes in concentration, Asuka took the briefest of moments to toss her ponytail back behind her shoulder, before making the next move, charging towards Shinji. She lowered herself, testing Shinji with a one-two punch combination, and when both of the blows were evaded, Asuka feinted an uppercut, breaking off just in time to watch Shinji lean back, attempting to evade an absentee attack.

Stepping into a side stance, Asuka turned on the spot and brought her back leg forward in a powerful roundhouse kick, which found its mark, slamming into Shinji's side despite his attempts to evade it. He let out a breath as he recoiled from the force of the attack, but within seconds, he was upon Asuka once more, bringing his left leg up to block another kick aimed at his side.

Across from him, Asuka cursed, and jumped, quickly spinning in the air to deliver a strong back kick, her foot connecting solidly with Shinji's chest. The boy stumbled back, winded, and his redheaded attacker returned to stance.

"You alright? You seem a little sluggish today." Asuka said, narrowing her eyes as she watched her friend move back into his own stance.

"Just didn't get much sleep." Shinji replied, slowly advancing on her once more. "I was up till all hours getting that homework done…"

The redhead rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you bother. We've got other things to focus on."

"Like?"

"Oh, I don't know – piloting giant robots?" Asuka offered, moving forward. "Saving humanity? Training? _Tatsumaki!" _With that cry, she leapt forward, spinning with one leg outstretched. Instead of moving to avoid the blow, Shinji instead moved into the attack, taking the brunt of it on his forearms. He was stumbled – but only just – and as Asuka landed firmly, he capitalized on the momentary opening before she could guard. With a shout, Shinji stepped forward, and sent a strong side kick into her gut.

Wheezing, the redhead staggered back, moving onto one knee for a moment as Shinji returned to stance, watching her every move.

"Looks like you could use a little more sleep too." Shinji supplied, a small smile of triumph on his face. Asuka smirked in response, and stood up straight.

"We only have ten minutes left…want to cool down?" Shinji asked, lowering his fists, and then watched as his opponent shook her head, ready to fight once more.

"No. I figure one of us has to come out on top – after all, first spar in three weeks." Asuka retorted. Shinji nodded silently, and raised his hands once again.

"Come on, baka. Enough of this strong, silent routine!" The redhead chided, teasing. "This is a fight! We should be having _fun_!" With that, she dashed forward, and leapt towards her companion with a yell, foot outstretched.

* * *

_Eight years ago._

* * *

"Asuka, that's enough!" Gouken commanded, his voice powerful and gruff.

On the ground, Shinji lay, slightly dazed. A bruise was beginning to blossom on his cheek, and a thin streamer of blood trickled down from the young boy's nose. He struggled to rise to his feet, but only succeeded in falling back on his rear, gazing up at his attacker through dizzied eyes.

Asuka let out slow breaths, her blue eyes shining with triumph and the slightest hint of malice as she looked between her _sensei _and her training partner. Her hair, previously tied back into a single ponytail, had come loose, and fell across her shoulders like a polished curtain of auburn as the sunlight gleamed along it. She turned to face Gouken, and gave a slight bow, before straightening up again. .

From the steps of the dojo, Gouken stalked down onto the practice area, and across the sandy terrain towards his two charges. He stopped in front of Asuka, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glared down at her, eyes hard and disapproving.

In response, the girl only offered a wide, proud grin, seemingly oblivious to both her _sensei's _disapproval and Shinji's attempts to stand on shaking legs.

Asuka's expression, however, fell as she watched Gouken move past, dismissive, and instead look over Shinji, kneeling down and placing his hands on the boy's shoulder, inspecting the bruises, the cuts, and gently wiping away what blood he could. The girl frowned as she listened to the two talk, the man offering gentle, kind words and comforts, even as the boy shook his head and insisted, quietly, that he was alright.

Finally, after a minute of this, Asuka had decided that enough was enough. In her clearest, most adult voice, she piped up.

"Gouken-_sensei. _Gouken-_sensei!"_

Gouken turned away from Shinji for a moment, more exasperated than anything, before speaking.

"Yes, Asuka?"

"Wasn't I good?" The six-year old questioned, tilting her head in curiosity. "I think my kicks were good -"

The master held his hand out, and the young girl instantly quieted. Slowly, he rose to his feet, moving back over to her. He didn't kneel down, as he had with Shinji - instead, he towered over Asuka, seeming to encompass her entire world, blocking even the sun from view.

"Yes - you did well." Gouken said, voice tired, resigned, before he stepped back, to look at the two children. "Both of you - we've done enough for today. Head back inside - Senzo will bring out your dinner shortly."

Both Shinji and Asuka piped 'Yes, _sensei!_" in unison, and bowed, before the two of them dashed away into the dojo, Shinji lagging slightly behind his companion. As the door closed behind them, Gouken was left alone on the front porch, staring out at the training ground.

With a sigh, the Ansatsuken master lowered himself until he was sitting on the highest step, and allowed his normally ramrod-straight posture to slump, as he gazed down at the sand in front of him.

_This can't keep going on._

_What if next time, Shinji walks away with something worse than bruises or cuts? What if he doesn't walk away at all?_

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Toeing back into her shoes, Asuka slung the bag containing her training clothes and her gloves over her shoulder, whilst drawing her schoolbag over the other. Now dressed in her school uniform, she stepped out of the female changing rooms, and glanced around for Shinji. Her hair, still damp from the shower, fell loosely down her back, the red ribbon that normally secured it an afterthought in her skirt pocket.

Soon, he emerged from another door, also dressed for school.

Nodding to each other, the pair made their way towards the exit of the gym. They offered small bows to the receptionist – a tiny reed of a man who seemed like he would break in half if a particularly strong breeze came along – and headed out into the thick of Tokyo-3.

Their arrival in the city had been fraught with drama, surprises that seemed to upend and sabotage their expectations – the eighty-meter tall robots kept in an underground military base, for example. However, it was the little things that seemed to be having the greatest effect in retrospect, at least on Shinji – it hadn't escaped Asuka's notice how he often seemed to stumble through the hustle-and-bustle of the morning and evening commutes, struggling to keep up with her through the sea of suits and seifuku.

In this city, he was as much an outsider as Asuka was, she supposed. Whilst she had flowing locks of blazing red, and pale, milky skin as testament to her foreign blood, Shinji's gentle manner and silent strength were also qualities that were seldom found in modern society at large, but were easily nurtured by a childhood spent in the company of a warm, contemplative man, and miles of forest to lose the spare hours in.

However, even though he wasn't accustomed to his surroundings completely as of yet, he had already found himself a few choice friends in the form of Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida. Despite the fact that the former had actively attempted to beat Shinji to a pulp on his first day of school, they seemed to be getting along rather well – something told Asuka it had to do with the fact that both Shinji and Toji were fighters – there was a certain kinship there that was difficult to replicate.

As for Asuka herself – she had drifted along, not really congealing with any group so far. She had found, to her chagrin, that her status as a foreigner – coupled with her somewhat unorthodox body type – isolated her somewhat. However, despite that, it seemed that the Class Representative, Hikari, had taken a liking to her regardless, and already she appreciated the extra company. The girl was pleasant, honest, and the first real female friend she'd ever had.

When the two finally stepped through the door to their classroom, both Hikari and Toji acknowledged them, with a wave and nod respectively. As seemed to be routine now, Shinji moved down to the back to talk eagerly with Toji and Kensuke about whatever came to mind, whilst Asuka stepped beside Hikari, leaning against her desk.

Setting the class register down, the freckled girl looked up at Asuka, smiling. The smile quickly vanished, for reasons unknown to the redhead, before Hikari gestured to her cheek, eyes wide.

"What?" Asuka asked, narrowing her eyes as she pressed a hand to her cheek experimentally – she was rewarded with a dull throbbing.

"Where did that bruise come from?" Hikari squeaked, her voice laced with concern. "What happened?"

"Training." Asuka replied, casually. "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

Hikari frowned, before glancing down at the register again, before speaking. "I don't understand how you managed to do that day in and day out, before." In response, the other girl shrugged, casting a glance across the room, at Shinji.

"You just have to _want _it." Asuka supplied, voice drifting off slightly at the end. Rolling her eyes at the unhelpful response, Hikari scribbled on the register, marking both Shinji and Asuka present. Meanwhile, the redhead's gaze turned to the elephant in the room – more specifically, the elephant sitting next to the windows, that seemed to perpetually gaze out at the city beyond.

Rei was a mystery in every sense of the word – she rarely spoke, rarely socialized, and when she did, it was so off-key and jarring that it made the situation all the more awkward. If it bothered the albino, she didn't say – she seemed content with her lot in life, but Asuka couldn't shake the feeling that something was _wrong _with her.

Both she and Shinji had tried to strike up conversations with Rei – they figured, that as their fellow EVA pilot, they should get to know each other – but in the three weeks that had passed since they had first come to Tokyo-3, virtually no progress had been made.

"Oh, staring at Ayanami again?" Hikari's voice broke through Asuka's stupor, drawing her attention.

"Yeah…" The redhead sighed, crossing her arms.

Hikari shook her head, before replying. "It's nice that you want to be a friend to her, but you're not the first to try. She's been like that ever since she came here – and she seems happy, in her own little way."

"She seems alone." Asuka murmured.

"Maybe…" Hikari conceded, grabbing the register and rising to her feet. "But some people are just like that. Difficult to get through to, difficult to understand…sometimes they change. Sometimes they don't. And more often than not, those who go about it the wrong way only end up hurt for their troubles."

* * *

_Eight years ago._

* * *

Sighing, Gouken rubbed at his eyes, and sat down on his futon, gazing ahead, his expression creased by contemplation. He had set the children to bed hours ago, but nagging paranoia gnawed at the back of his mind, keeping him very much awake.

He'd been pacing around his room for what seemed like forever, the same thoughts that he'd been dwelling on since the training session that day.

_Ever since we heard news of Kyoko's death…ever since her funeral…things have been getting worse and worse. _

_Peter won't answer my calls, won't listen to me no matter what I tell him – even though it should be obvious that his daughter needs him right now. Without him – I don't know what I'll do._

_It's not like I haven't attempted to discipline Asuka – but when I try to teach her that what she's done is wrong…it's like she doesn't even understand me. _

_The longer this problem persists, the more difficult things will become – the more danger Shinji is in. But I can't just send Asuka away – even if I actually wanted to, I wouldn't trust Gendo Ikari with any child. And even though their friendship is rocky enough, Shinji seems to genuinely care for Asuka – and the reverse seems to be true, sometimes – even if she doesn't show it plainly. _

_But still…if it's bruises today, what is it tomorrow? Broken bones? Teeth? So much can go wrong in a fight – and I can only pray that the child doesn't hurt Shinji whilst she's dealing with her problems._

_Some father I turned out to be._

Gouken was brought out of his contemplation by a sharp, but muffled sound – coming from outside the dojo – a hard impact on wood, slow but rhythmic.

He narrowed his eyes, and rose to his feet, before moving out of his room and towards the front doors. Slowly, he slid them apart, and moved out onto the porch, looking around for the source of the noise.

Again, the sound echoed through the night, much clearer now – the _thwack _of something hard colliding with wood. Gouken turned, painfully slowly, and somehow he simply _knew _that it was Asuka before he even saw her.

The girl's hair was messy, loose, and she seemed to have been at it for some time – with every kick she aimed at the wooden training dummy, her crimson gi pants slid up slightly – exposing horribly bruised shins.

"Asuka…" Gouken called out, beginning to walk towards her.

He was ignored, the six-year old continuing to pummel both her shins and the dummy.

"Asuka!" He repeated, sharper now. The girl faltered slightly as her leg dropped back down to the ground, but didn't turn around right away. Her _sensei _moved closer, tentatively reaching out and placing one hand on her shoulder, gently moving her around the rest of the way. When the low light from the dojo caught Asuka's face, Gouken could make out what appeared to be dried tear-tracks.

Quietly, he knelt down in front of her, but words escaped him when he needed them most.

"Was I good?" The girl's voice came, weak and hoarse. Gouken's face twisted with confusion in response.

"…What do you mean, Asuka?" He asked, keeping his voice as warm and gentle as he could.

"Do you think that was good?" The girl gestured with a movement of her head, back to the training dummy. "I think it was – but you're the teacher. Was it?"

Again, the Ansatsuken master struggled with words, struggled to understand exactly what was going through his young student's mind.

"Asuka…it's…it's close to the middle of the night. You should be in bed, resting."

The reply, however innocent or unintentionally evasive, seemed only to aggravate the girl's condition – she shook slightly, and it was only when tears began to flow down her face once more that it became obvious she was sobbing. Gouken swallowed, and with seemingly no other course of action, drew the girl in for a hug.

Asuka clung to the fabric of his robe tightly, but despite the tears soaking the fabric, she didn't make a sound.

Eventually, when the sobbing seemed to have subsided, Gouken drew back slightly – only to realise that the girl had fallen asleep against him.

Sighing, he picked the girl up with both arms, and stepped back towards the dojo.

_This is going to take a lot of work._

* * *

**I have absolutely no reason for neglecting this story, and my readers at the moment. You have my deepest apologies. But I'm back! Read and review, please!**


	22. Episode 5 - Active Red - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

The school day drifted in painfully slowly – between the teacher's dreary, droning lecture and the steadily building throbbing in her cheek, Asuka felt like she might go insane. The laptop in front of her offered little relief or escape from the current situation – there was little else to do other than fire messages back and forth with her classmates on moronic topics, and even if she attempted to start a conversation, she didn't think she'd get many replies.

Asuka looked ahead, to her left, and spied Shinji, who, in contrast was eagerly typing out message after message, a small smile coming to his face every time a new reply popped up on his screen. However, despite the fact that watching her country bumpkin of a friend proved mildly distracting, it wasn't long before that too became dull and repetitive after several minutes, and the redhead groaned quietly, before closing over her laptop and leaning back in her chair.

_I'm of half a brain to just get up and leap out the nearest window…hell, I'd take extra sync-testing at this point. At least then I'd be doing something productive._

Finally, mercifully, lunch period arrived, and Asuka bolted out of the classroom all too quickly, Hikari struggling to keep up with her and maintain a measure of poise at the same time.

The two shuffled their way down to the school courtyard, lunches in their hands, moving past groups of giggling girls and dodging out of the way of those eager enough to bolt down the corridor, despite how Hikari shouted after them.

As they moved out into the open air, Asuka sighed in relief, and stretched her arms above her head, before turning to her friend. "Let's go find somewhere to eat." Hikari nodded, and moved beside her, pointing to a bench some ways away. Silently nodding, Asuka headed towards it with Hikari in tow.

Sitting down, Asuka halted in opening up her bento box as the girl beside her produced another, holding it towards the redhead, who quirked an eyebrow in confusion. Hikari smiled, and popped the lid open, revealing a lunch of varied vegetables, sushi, rice and pork.

"I just thought you'd appreciate a little variety in your food for once." Hikari offered, setting the box beside her. "I know Shinji always makes the lunches, but they always seem a little plain. Not that I'm insulting Shinji, or you for liking his cooking, I'm sure It's nice…"

Asuka watched with a measure of amusement as the Class Representative began to stumble over her words, and took the box without a second's thought, her own bento set to the side for now.

"It looks delicious, Hikari." The redhead smiled, and beside her, Hikari quieted, before nodding, grateful for the approval. The two dug into their lunches, passing the time between bites with idle chatter, before a shout from across the schoolyard drew their attention.

Surrounded by a ring of whooping students, two boys hurled themselves at each other, fists flying. As they stumbled around, swinging wildly at each other's face, Hikari shot to her feet, expression tight.

"You can't be serious." She muttered, and stepped forward, to intervene. Behind her, Asuka gazed at the brawl, quiet and pensive.

* * *

_Six years ago._

* * *

Gouken grimaced as another strike connected with Asuka's abdomen, winding the young girl. The entire fight thus far had been like watching a great wave breaking across solid, immovable rock – now that Shinji was fighting differently, fighting smarter and choosing his attacks carefully, he was dominating his opponent, whose hyper-aggressive strategy had, up until now, been dominating every spar between the two children. The boy's expression was calm – completely composed, in contrast to Asuka's.

The girl's face was streaked with dried tracks from frustrated tears, and her mouth was outlined with spots of blood and saliva. It made for a distressing sight – and it was painfully obvious to Gouken that she was going to snap any moment now.

_And when she does, Shinji will capitalize on that – and things will only get worse._

A kick to the side of Asuka's leg brought her down to one knee, and the master could almost pinpoint the exact moment that the last of her composure vanished, as her face twisted monstrously and her sapphire eyes blazed with uncontrollable rage. She lashed out with a high roundhouse kick – which, if it had connected, would have no doubt left Shinji with a concussion, and maybe even knocked out a tooth or two. But Asuka's anger was her undoing – she forgot about maintaining technique, and the wind-up to the kick was far too long.

Shinji ducked underneath the leg, and with a firm shout, lunged forward, delivering a powerful straight punch to the side of Asuka's jaw. The girl stumbled back, and then collapsed to the sand, with a low groan of pain.

Gouken stepped forward, moving off the steps as Shinji began to approach his felled opponent. At the same time, both the boy and the master held out a hand – Shinji, offering help to the half-conscious Asuka, and Gouken, to stop Shinji from moving any closer to the girl.

"Shinji, wait –"

Gouken's voice was drowned out by the shrill, feral scream that tore its way out of Asuka's mouth, and he watched as the girl forced herself off the ground, swinging her entire bodyweight into one vicious hook. Caught off guard, Shinji took the attack head on, and he crashed to the ground, unconscious.

Fear flashed across the Ansatsuken master's face as he dashed between the two, and knelt down beside Shinji, gently turning the boy's head to face his.

"Shinji…" Gouken called, gently slapping Shinji's cheek. "Shinji, can you hear me?"

He was rewarded with a low, pained groan, and watched as the young boy's eyes slowly fluttered open. Gouken turned his head to glare at Asuka, opening his mouth to shout, to berate, to yell that _enough was enough –_ but she cut him off.

"It's not _fair!" _Asuka screamed, tears leaking from wide and furious eyes. "Baka-Shinji can't be better than me! He doesn't work as hard! _He doesn't deserve to beat me!" _

"Asuka –" Gouken tried to make his voice heard, but the girl would have none of it.

"Both of you, _shut up!" _The girl yelled, clamping her hands over her ears. "It's not fair! It's not!"

With that, the girl turned, stumbling slightly, and began to run.

She ran, even when Gouken called after her, and gave chase.

She ran, even when his desperate yells faded into the distance.

She ran, even when her feet began to bleed.

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Blinking, Asuka watched as Hikari scattered the crowd, with threats of detention and reprisal from teachers. However, the two fighters remained, and judging from their angry barks, and twisted, hateful expressions, they weren't too pleased with the girl.

Asuka leaned forward slightly, her lunch forgotten, and watched as Hikari tried to defuse the situation, hands held up as she spoke to the two of them.

Suddenly, one of the two lashed out with a punch – and both Asuka, and any other students watching were stunned to see Hikari dodge it with practiced ease, turning her back towards the boy, before grabbing the attacking arm, and pulling it over her shoulder as she pitched her bodyweight forward.

The boy let out an inelegant yelp as he was hurled to the ground, hard, but that was nothing compared to the shocked shrieks and gasps that came from all around, as the second boy's fist slammed into Hikari's face before she could turn to face him completely. The girl stumbled to the ground, red trickling down her face from her broken nose.

Without a second to lose, Asuka sprang from her seat, sprinting towards the boy with clenched fists and furious eyes.

The attacker turned, spotting her – and as fear flashed across his face, something slammed into him from behind, sending him to the ground before Asuka had a chance to lay a finger on him.

Rei pressed her forearm against the back of the boy's neck, pressing his face into the dirt, and twisted the boy's arm behind his back, drawing a pained cry from him. In front of them, Hikari rose to her feet, somewhat unsteady, and held a hand to her face, wincing. Asuka came beside her, concern evident on her features.

"Hikari…" Gently, she pulled the other girl's hand away from her face, and inspected the damage – already, there were messy smears of red across her lips and chin, and the redhead growled, turning to look at the grounded attacker.

"You little _shit…" _Asuka began to step towards him, but was stopped by Hikari's hand on her shoulder.

"Ashuka…" The girl said, pinching her nose. "He'sh not a problem now." Sniffing, she looked down at Rei, and bowed awkwardly, whilst trying to keep the blood from running down her face. "Dank you, Rei. Ah apprechiate it."

The albino nodded up at the Class Representative, silent, before hoisting him to his feet by his arm, earning another pained squeak.

"Where would you have me take him, Class Representative?" Rei asked, coolly.

"Jusht the princhipal's offish fuh now, Rei." Hikari replied, and watched, along with Asuka and the schoolyard, as the waifish girl marched the boy away.

"Ashuka." Hikari managed.

"Yeah?"

"C'n you take duh ovver wun to the offish as well?"

"Later." Asuka replied, moving slightly closer. "We need to get you to the nurse."

Hikari looked at the blood smudged on her hands, and the alarming amount staining the shirt of her uniform, but despite the morbid sight, managed a small smile, shaking her head.

"I can go myshelf. Danks."

With a sigh, Asuka nodded, and then moved over to the other boy, who had watched the scene play out from his spot on the ground. Hoisting him up roughly, and shoving him along despite protests, the redhead cast one last glance at her bloodied friend, before she followed Rei into the school building.

* * *

_Six years ago._

* * *

By the time Asuka had begun to consider returning to the dojo, it had been two days, and she had no idea how to. The young girl stumbled over unfamiliar hills and rock faces, glancing about dumbly as she tried to figure out where she was.

A cool wind blew through, rustling the few dying bushes around her, and Asuka shivered, clutching her arms. Her gi and black undershirt weren't exactly suited for keeping the elements away – to say nothing of the lack of shoes. The cuts had begun to scab over some time ago – after she'd fallen asleep underneath a large, old tree, but even though they didn't bleed, they ached all the same.

The pain, the cold, the gnawing hunger in her stomach, _everything_ tried to draw cries from the girl, but none came.

_I'm not gonna cry. I've cried enough._

But even if Asuka refused to cry, it wouldn't change anything. She was still lost, still without food or shelter. She'd been able to drink from a river that seemed clean enough some hours ago, but it seemed unlikely that she'd find it again.

A fresh wave of vicious hunger pangs drew her back to reality, and with far too much difficulty, Asuka began to move forward again. Slowly, the ground underneath her feet changed from dirt and grass to rocks and pebbles, and the girl gasped in pain as she moved across them. Suddenly, there was the sensation of moisture on her cheek, and she rubbed at her eyes – until she realized she wasn't crying.

Asuka looked up towards the rapidly darkening sky, and whined, before glancing around for some kind of shelter she could hide in to wait the storm out. She looked in vain for several moments, but by the time the rain had begun, she was lucky enough to find a cave – massive, and empty. The girl immediately made for the entrance, but before she could enter, her foot caught on an outcropping.

She landed hard on the rocks beneath her, but suddenly found she couldn't muster the strength to cry out in pain, to move, to do anything at all. Exhaustion seemed to permeate every fiber of her being, and Asuka was all too happy to rest, even as the rainstorm began to batter her and everything around.

_I'm sorry, Mama. I wasn't good enough for you. _

_Can I just…rest here for a moment? I promise I'll get up. I promise…_

Gradually, her eyes drifted shut, slowly enough to catch a glimpse of the tall, wide figure emerging from inside the cave.

* * *

When Asuka became aware again, she felt warm – comfortable. She could hear the storm raging in the distance, the rain unable to reach her, and a fire crackled beside her,

_Wha…_

With a groan, the girl tried to sit up, but only succeeded in flopping onto her side, limp. There was movement to her left – the shifting of fabric, the slap of bare feet against stone. Her eyes were difficult to keep open for more than a few seconds, and they closed again as she felt a massive hand cradle the back of her head, tilting her upper body up effortlessly.

Something was held near her – warm, with a rich aroma. For a brief moment, she could glimpse a bowl of some kind – filled with rich, chunky soup.

"**Child. Drink." **

Asuka obeyed the firm, echoing voice without protest, opening her mouth slightly as the bowl was brought to her lips. It warmed her instantly, rushing down her throat and into her stomach, bringing sweet relief from the aching hunger. When the bowl left her lips, she groaned, trying to move forward, but was kept in place by an immovable grip, which released her seconds later. She lay back on the hard ground – but found something soft and cushioning underneath her head.

"**Rest now."**

Making a small, childish noise of acknowledgement, Asuka curled up, and within moments fell back into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

_Now._

* * *

Leaning against the wall facing the office door, Asuka allowed herself a tight, vindictive smile as the boys were subjected to the almost-deafening wrath of the principal. Beside her, Rei stood, ramrod straight, gazing straight ahead.

"That was a pretty nice hold you had back there." The redhead offered, hoping to get anything out of the silent girl. "And you took that guy down like he weighed nothing."

"I have been trained in unarmed combat by Mr. Hibiki." Rei replied, icy, and Asuka nodded slowly, finding it difficult to comprehend that the goofball of a Security Head actually had something useful to offer.

"Oh. Is he any good? As a _sensei_, I mean."

"He is satisfactory. Fragile, but satisfactory."

"…Fragile?" Asuka chuckled quietly. "Doesn't sound like much-"

The words died in the redhead's throat as Rei rounded on her, crimson eyes boring into sapphire. Asuka couldn't help but shrink away somewhat, even as the albino spoke.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Rei asked, frowning.

"What?"

"Talking. Conversing with me about trivial subjects."

Puzzled, Asuka struggled to form a reply. "Just to…just to get to know each other. Why wouldn't I?"

"And why would you wish to 'get to know me'?" Rei inquired, tilting her head in curiosity.

"Because we're…pilots. It would help…synergy. Team performance." The words came out stilted, awkward as Asuka improvised on the spot. However stunted her performance was, it seemed to register with the mysterious girl, who seemed to give the words some thought, before nodding.

"Unit Zero's activation test will be taking place after school today. If you wish to 'get to know me', perhaps you will attend." Rei said, succinctly, before turning on her heel and walking down the corridor, leaving a slightly bemused redhead in her wake.

* * *

_Six years ago._

* * *

"Sir, I'm very sorry – but our officers alone are not enough to comb the forests completely. We'll need to wait two more days for more men to arrive, so we can carry out the search –"

"_She doesn't have two more days!" _Gouken roared, and across from him, the poor secretary nearly jumped out of her seat. The master's powerful voice brought deathly silence to the hustle and bustle of the small police station, and kept the small, reedy officer a few meters away from him standing up straight, with a tight expression.

Behind it all, Shinji sat, curled up on a plastic chair, wearing a heavy raincoat. He hadn't removed his headband since two days ago – ever since Asuka had run away, he couldn't seem to think clearly – and he'd barely gotten any sleep.

Despite this, the child fought to remain awake, remaining silent as Gouken led him out of the police station, and back to the battered old pickup truck that had taken them into town.

"It's my fault." Shinji murmured, as he clambered into the passenger side seat, and began to fumble with the seatbelt.

"Shinji – it's not. You need to stop blaming yourself." Gouken replied, voice tired as he turned the key in the ignition, the truck rumbling to life.

"But it is, _sensei. _If I had just let Asuka win –" Shinji's voice drifted off, thick with unshed tears, and the master found it difficult to reply as he wheeled out of the parking space, and onto the main road.

"Shinji…we'll find her. It'll be alright." Gouken's flimsy reassurance didn't receive a reply, and he decided to simply focus on the road ahead. Before long, his thoughts drifted to the contact information hidden at the back of one of the kitchen cabinets – and the possible salvation it could offer.

_If I call Ikari…would he even bother to help? _

_There's a chance they might – but there's also a chance they might take them away from me as well._

_I won't let that happen. It would break Shinji, I know it would._

_And it would break me. _

The debate raged inside Gouken's head for the entirety of the ride back home, and when the truck was parked in the sandy driveway, he let himself loll forward, resting his forearms against the wheel.

Beside him, Shinji was fast asleep, and Gouken looked at him. He smiled softly, sadly, before looking ahead again and letting out a shaking sigh as he rubbed at his face for a brief moment, before unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of the car.

After lifting Shinji out of the passenger seat, and gently kicking the door closed behind them, Gouken carried Shinji up the path to the dojo, slowly as so to not wake him. When they were close enough to the dojo, he frowned. The light in the main room was still on – and he could swear he had turned it off before he and Shinji had left for the police station.

_And Senzo should still be in town…_

Gently, he shook Shinji awake, and let him down onto the ground, as he approached the front doors. He hesitantly slid the doors open, peering around, before his eyes widened.

"Asuka!" Gouken gasped, dashing through the doorway, followed by Shinji. The girl was fast asleep, resting beside the table in the center of the room. Kneeling down beside the sleeping girl, he took in the sight of her – dirty, bedraggled, and scratched.

"Asuka!" Shinji yelled, shuffling past his master and beginning to shake her shoulders. "Asuka, are you okay?"

In front of them, the girl stirred, groaning, before her eyes snapped open. She sat up, shuffling back from the two, and kept her gaze leveled at the floor.

"Asuka, where –" Shinji blurted out, but Gouken held a hand out to silence him, before moving closer to the silent girl.

"Asuka…" Gouken began, softly, and watched as the girl flinched slightly at the sound of his voice. She looked up gradually, her eyes shining with tears, before she lurched forward against his chest, and began to weep.

"_S – sensei –_ I'm so – so sorry…" The redhead sobbed, her hands clutching feebly at his coat. "I didn't…realize, I –" She broke off, trembling and in tears. To her side, Shinji began to sniff, reaching out and grabbing her hand. This seemed to quiet the girl somewhat, who hiccuped slightly, burying her face in Gouken's chest.

"It's…I just didn't want you to _ignore _me. I wanted to be good." Asuka breathed, pulling back, looking between her master and her friend as she scrubbed at her eyes. "I thought that if I wasn't good, I wouldn't matter to you – to anyone. But the man in the cave…he didn't care about any of that, he just _helped_. And I've been such a _dummkopf, _and I hurt Shinji, and I –"

"Shh…" Gouken murmured, running a hand up and down her back. "You're home now. You're alright." His voice was heavy with emotion, with relief, and the trio remained there for several more minutes. Now was no time to talk of anything like punishment, or consequences – they could take solace in the simple joy that Asuka was _alive._

* * *

**This is probably one of the chapters that I'm most apprehensive about - obviously because of how I've portrayed the younger Asuka, and how neatly, I believe, things have been kinda-sorta wrapped up, or at least how I've explained things were wrapped up.**

**I could cite any number of reasons to myself, like pacing, for example, or not being able to spend forever in flashbacks, but in the end, I'm at a loss. If you could read, review, and maybe tell me how I can, in your opinion, improve on this, I would really appreciate it. There's two more chapters to go in this episode, and there'll be a few more flashbacks to iron everything out - maybe things will seem clearer then. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	23. Interlude 05 - Prodigal

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Six years ago._

* * *

With a relieved sigh, Gouken closed the door on his two sleeping children, and padded throughout the dojo. Senzo had been overjoyed when he had heard the news, and had rushed home – it was a little strange to see the normally dour vassal display such emotion, but in this case it was a welcome change.

However, despite the joy that Gouken felt at Asuka's return, and at the fact that she might actually be coming to terms with her inner demons, there was something that she said that seemed odd.

_The man…the man in the cave, she said._

With a frown, he moved to slide the doors of the dojo shut – but paused. Finally, he sighed, and slid them back open, stepping out into the night air.

Within moments, he found himself drilling punches against one of the dummies, as he tried to stir his thoughts into action, to connect the dots somehow.

Minutes passed, with barely anything resembling the epiphany he sought coming to light. Finally, he stood back, and ran a hand through his hair, exasperated.

_I'm overthinking this. Man in the cave? Probably some kindly hobo or something._

Turning to head back into the dojo, Gouken froze when he looked towards the steps – and the tall, wide figure that stood on the porch.

Moonlight played across massive, defined muscles, hidden underneath a dark, tattered sleeveless gi that was belted with a worn cord of rope, and a set of large prayer beads hung from a thick neck.

Their features were obscured by shadow, but it didn't matter – Gouken already knew who it was.

"You." He managed, cursing his shaking voice. "You were the one who brought Asuka back –" His eyes widened, as he remembered Shinji and Asuka, asleep and defenceless inside the dojo.

_The children. I need to –_

As if he could sense the raw fear that chilled Gouken's blood, the figure spoke.

"**Calm yourself. I am not here for your cubs – or you."**

Gouken swallowed, and clenched his fists. "Then…why? Why would you come here? Why would you even _bother _to save Asuka's life?"

"**You may believe me a monster, Gouken – I am anything but. Do you honestly believe I would leave an innocent child to die?"**

"I don't know what to believe about you." Gouken hissed. "Why come back here, now?"

"**Only to offer a warning – you train your cubs with gentle hands and words – but that may not be enough when the time comes."**

"When the time comes? When _you_ come for them?"

"**Not I, Gouken. There is something they must prepare for – a calling beyond that of Ansatsuken. Something I have been preparing for, as well."**

Gouken's eyes narrowed in confusion. "What else could there be? What takes precedence over Ansatsuken to you?"

The figure remained silent, and began to walk forward, off the steps and onto the ground. Gouken bristled as he moved past, watching him make his way down the path, away from the dojo.

"Answer me." Gouken murmured, and received no reply.

"I said,_ a__nswer me!" _He roared, and the figure paused, turning to look at him for a brief moment with narrowed eyes.

However, no words came, and Gouken was left alone, staring into the dark long after the other man had vanished from view.


	24. Episode 5 - Active Red - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Left to her own devices for the rest of the lunch period, Asuka wandered around, directionless. Upon returning to the schoolyard, she failed to find anybody she recognised, and ended up stalking around the perimeter of the campus, shoulders slumped.

Eventually, she came upon a small, unassuming one-story building nestled at the rear of the school. What windows she could see had been either left to gather dust or had been covered up, and Asuka moved towards the small door at the front with a degree of caution, sliding it open slowly.

School shoes scuffing across the floor, Asuka came into a cramped foyer, lit with nothing but a small, solitary lightbulb. As she stepped onto old, worn tatami, she caught sight of a faded plaque, mounted on the wall to her left, and Asuka moved closer, narrowing her eyes as she reached out, wiping dust away to read the inscription.

"Rindo-kan Karate School…" The redhead mused aloud, and drew back.

_If this is a karate school, it looks like it's seen better days. _

There was the sound of activity from behind a set of doors at the end of the foyer, and Asuka narrowed her eyes, before approaching with tentative steps. She slid the doors open, and peered in – before squinting and pulling back, as sunlight shining through windows at the back of the room blinded her momentarily. Blinking, the redhead looked back in.

Both Toji and Shinji stood in the centre of the room, in stance. Behind them, Kensuke sat, his video camera recording the two. Slowly, Shinji span on the ball of his foot, and raised his other leg in a perfect spinning hook kick. Toji seemed to scrutinise the movement for a moment, before trying to replicate it – but his kick seemed straighter, and hooked in later than Shinji's had – creating momentum that Toji used to carry himself back to stance quickly.

"I can't understand why you don't hook that kick in sooner." Shinji said, looking at the other boy. "And you're letting the kick guide you instead of the other way around – you won't have much control if your opponent counter-attacks when you're recovering."

"It's always worked just fine for me." Toji shrugged, then looked past the other boy, noticing Asuka standing in the doorway. "Isn't that your friend?" Toji murmured, indicating her with a nod.

Shinji turned, face lighting up as soon as he layed eyes on the redhead. "Asuka!" He chirped, waving over to her for a moment.

"Hey." She replied, toeing off her shoes and kicking them in the direction of the other discarded pairs. "What's up?"

"Just practicing, spending some time comparing styles." Shinji offered, moving closer to Asuka. His sunny expression fell slightly when he caught sight of the red staining her fingers, and he glanced back up at her with concern.

"Whose blood is that?" Shinji asked, slowly.

"Hm?" Asuka glanced down at her hands, eyes widening for a moment. "Oh. Hikari's."

"_What?" _Toji spluttered, starting.

"Some first-years were fighting. Hikari tried to break it up, got her nose broken for her troubles. I think she's at the nurse's office now." Asuka explained, casual, not missing how the karate fighter's face twisted with anger.

"Little runts!" Toji squawked, clenching his fists. "Think they can beat on their superiors - I'll show them punches!"

"A little late for that. They're already been taken care of by the principal. Probably suspended."

Fuming with impotent rage at Asuka's words, he crossed his arms. Shinji, on the other hand, simply seemed concerned.

"Was it a bad break?" He inquired, tilting his head slightly.

"No – it bled a bit, but it didn't seem like a major fracture. Don't think she'll have anything to worry about in a week or so." Asuka replied, and watched as Kensuke shuffled over, camera discarded.

"You guys seen a lot of blood, then?" The bespectacled boy inquired, a fascinated gleam in his eyes.

"Not that much." Shinji murmured, thoughtful. "We don't really set out to hurt each other when we train."

"If anything, we're looking to _not _draw blood. Power's great in a fight, but when training, you should be looking for control." Asuka elaborated. "Especially with a partner. Getting overzealous is a one-way ticket to injury, or worse."

Toji, who seemed to have calmed down somewhat in the previous seconds, joined in. "So, how long have you guys been training together? Shinji told us it was a while, but he didn't say how long."

"Ten years together." The redhead said, nonchalant.

"You make it sound like you're married or something." Toji replied. Both Asuka and Shinji wrinkled their nose slightly, and then looked at the other, expressions inscrutable.

"I make it sound like we've been training for ten years." Asuka finally said, words carrying a grain of confusion. "We're friends."

"Yeah, friends." Shinji parroted. Beside him, the redhead nodded.

"Companions." She mused.

"Confidantes?" He murmured, scratching his chin.

"Hombres?" Asuka replied, questioning.

"Comrades?"

"Amigos?"

"Chums?"

"Compadres?"

"Okay, this is just getting annoying. We get it, you're _just _friends." Toji grumbled, looking between the two.

"What about you?" Asuka asked, curious. "Got any training partners? What about Kensuke?"

Toji glanced at the fair-haired boy in question. "Are you kidding? He'd snap in half if I got a good punch in."

"Besides, I'm more of a runner." Kensuke interjected.

"Yeah. Whatever." Toji mumbled, and then looked around the expanse of the dojo. "No, it's been just me."

"_Just _you?" Shinji asked, puzzled.

"I'm Rindo-_sensei's _only student. Been like that for as long as I've been learning the art."

"Why's that?"

"I don't bother to ask. He's a quiet guy – prefers to keep things simple."

"Oh…" Shinji glanced away, nodding, and then looked to Asuka, presumably seeking some way to restart the conversation. The girl shrugged, then indicated the boy in front of them.

"Just…keep doing what you're doing. I'm gonna have a look around." She murmured, clapping Shinji on the shoulder, and then turned, heading away from the two boys as they lapsed back into a discussion about the merits of spinning heels against spinning hooks.

The more she explored the tiny dojo, the more it became obvious that whoever this Rindo-_sensei _was, he had fallen on hard times. Most of the training equipment she could find had fallen into disrepair, either out of neglect or overuse.

After several more minutes of uneventful searching, she finally decided to investigate the only room that remained unexplored – hiding behind a door at the back of a tiny broom closet.

The door slid open with a rough, wooden scraping noise, exposing a dark expanse beyond. Blindly, Asuka reached in, fumbling along the nearest wall for anything that could be considered a light switch. Her fingers passed over such a switch, and a small lightbulb flickered into life, seeming like it might fuse at any second.

The room was even more cramped than the closet she had just came through – and most of the floorspace was occupied by a futon and blanket. At the foot of the bed, however, was something that drew her attention – a small, makeshift _butsudan _was mounted on the wall, doors opened.

Inside of the compact cabinet, lay several objects; a minute Buddhist statue, polished to the point where its gold finish had begun to rub off, a string of prayer beads, and two photo frames. Leaning in to get a better look, Asuka examined the faces inside the frames.

Inside the first and largest frame, was the image of a woman, in her mid-thirties, with raven black hair cut into a bob. Her features were sharp, her eyes tired – but she wore a smile regardless. To the right of that picture, was a smaller frame – one that held the face of a child, no more than three years old, with that same dark hair, albeit sticking up in wild tufts. The picture was somewhat damaged – but from the dress the child was wearing, Asuka assumed it was a girl.

_Are these…relatives of Rindo-sensei? Maybe even his wife and child?_

Stepping back with a small frown, Asuka stared at the cabinet for a moment, before bowing in respect, and then straightened up, resolving to leave this room before she disturbed anything else.

"Asuka? We need to go soon, lunch is almost over…" Shinji's voice came, faint from the main room.

"Got it!" She called back, sliding the door shut behind her as she left.

* * *

Eyes on the road ahead, Misato drove through the streets of Tokyo-3, with two teenagers in tow. Shinji seemed fairly content today, a small smile playing across his lips as he ruminated on a productive training session. However, Asuka was uncharacteristically quiet – she stared out of the window, sapphire eyes clouded in thought.

"You two alright? You haven't said a word." Misato said, chancing a glance up at the rear-view mirror. Both Shinji and Asuka looked up, and then at each other, expecting the other to explain why the captain had called them out.

"Nothing, really. Just a long day." The redhead finally murmured, and to her right, Shinji quirked an eyebrow at her dreary expression.

"Well, it's about to get a little longer. I'm stopping by Rei's to drop off new documentation and ID for her – could you take it up to the apartment?" Misato asked, watching as the two children straightened up in their seats, and nodded.

"Doesn't she have an activation experiment or something today?" Asuka inquired, crossing her arms.

"Yeah…it'll be the first time they activate Unit Zero in two months." The captain replied, turning the car into a smaller, narrower street. "I'm going to drive Rei down to NERV before we head home, alright?"

"Actually, I wouldn't mind watching."

"The experiment?" Misato queried, eyes flitting up to the rear-view mirror, watching the redhead and her companion.

"Yeah. That alright with you?" Asuka asked the boy beside her, who seemed thoughtful for a moment, before nodding.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right apartment?" Shinji asked, watching as Asuka knocked on the door in front of them.

"I'm not even sure this is the right building." The redhead retorted, and looked around. When Misato had driven into the parking lot of the building minutes prior, the two assumed she had gotten lost, and driven into some kind of construction site or condemned area by mistake – but apparently, this was where Rei made her home, much to the surprise of the two children.

"I don't want to spend any longer than I have to here – this place is creeping me out." Asuka mumbled, and gave a discarded drinks bottle a small kick for emphasis. Shinji watched as it skittered away, and impacted a small box – a rat skittered out of it, and he cringed. Asuka knocked again, and then cursed, before raising her voice.

"Rei? Ayanami? It's us, we're coming in."

Opening the door, Asuka stepped into a darkened, dreary apartment, leaving it open for Shinji to follow. She cast bemused glances around the room, and her face twisted with disgust as she noticed an overflowing bin in one corner – as well as the bloodied bandages covering the bed.

"What the hell?" Asuka whispered, stepping closer to the bed and leaning in.

Behind her, Shinji moved around, gaze flitting from the bed to the chest of drawers resting beside it. On top, lay a small case, which revealed a pair of glasses when opened.

"Rei doesn't wear glasses, does she?" Shinji asked, quiet, as he picked the frames out of the case for inspection. The lenses were cracked, and the frames were bent.

"Don't think so." The redhead replied, stepping over beside her friend to look at the glasses as well.

There was the sound of metal rungs scraping across a bar, and the swish of fabric – both of the children turned, and paled as Rei stepped into the room, from behind what must have been the bathroom curtain. She was bare, save for a towel that hung across her neck and preserved some of her modesty.

Rei stared at the two with muted surprise, before her eyes locked on the glasses in Shinji's hands. Eyes narrowing, she advanced, shoulders squared.

"Um…well…" Shinji started, words dying in his throat.

"We were just…" Asuka attempted to explain, but the sight of an approaching, naked albino seemed to strangle any attempt at coherent conversation.

_"ID!"_ Shinji exclaimed, face red, and plucked the envelope that his friend was holding, levelling it at Rei like some sort of weapon. "You need a new ID!"

"A little quieter, Shinji?" Asuka murmured, sheepish.

Rei stopped, only a few feet away from the two, as she looked between the envelope and the pair of glasses in Shinji's hands. Finally, she plucked both from him, and set them on the chest of drawers.

Both Asuka and Shinji watched in bizarre curiosity as she placed the glasses back in their case, gentle, before closing it over. The two gave her wide berth as she strode past them again, and Shinji glanced away, embarrassed, as Rei discarded the towel to the bed, beginning to slide into fresh underwear.

"Is there anything else?"

"Hm?" Asuka appeared confused for a moment, before she realised Rei was asking her. "N – no, that's all."

If the albino had heard her, she didn't give any indication, instead dressing quickly and methodically. When she was fully clothed, Asuka tapped Shinji's shoulder, and the boy turned around, letting out a small sigh of relief when he looked upon the now clothed girl across from him.

* * *

"…Did something happen up there?" Misato asked, narrowing her eyes at the rear view mirror.

In the backseat, Asuka, Rei, and Shinji sat, silent. To either side of Rei, the redhead and her companion seemed awkward, almost uncomfortable, as if they wanted to avoid looking at the albino. Asuka's eyes widened at the question, seeming like a deer caught in headlights, and she shook her head in fierce denial, before chancing a glance at Shinji, who seemed to be equally mortified.

Misato nodded slowly, but frowned.

Leaning back in her seat, Asuka gazed out of the window, the darkness of the transit tunnel hiding her own sheepish expression.

_I could have happily gone about the day without finding out that Rei doesn't actually dye her hair that weird colour._

* * *

"Rei, can you hear me?" Gendo's voice broke through the silence of the Entry Plug, and Rei's eyes flitted towards the chat window that had opened up to her side.

"Yes." She replied, clipped.

"We will now begin Unit Zero's activation experiment. Initiate primary connection." The man commanded, tone heavy with the weight of authority.

"Connecting main power supply." Ritsuko's voice came, and Rei's eyes flitted over to the pair of cracked lenses tucked in near the controls in front of her.

"Voltage has exceeded critical point." Maya said, and the Entry Plug's controls illuminated. Rei's hands curled around the yokes. The voices of the Project-E staff began to merge into one, as she focused entirely on the task ahead of her.

"Roger. Move the format to Phase II."

"Connecting pilot to Unit Zero."

"Opening the circuits. Pulses and Harmonics conditions nominal."

"No problems with synchronisation. All nerve links completed. Nerve centre devices operational."

* * *

From a corridor, Asuka and Shinji watched through a small window, Misato behind them.

The two glanced at each other, expressions a mix of anticipation and apprehension, then back towards the sight of the EVA in the room beyond.

* * *

The pilot was suddenly aware of the phantom sensation of being clamped to the massive wall behind her, and her fingers flexed in response.

"Recalculation shows no error modifications."

"Checked. Conditions up until number twenty-five ninety cleared. Approaching absolute borderline."

Rei's eyes narrowed, but only just.

"Two point five, one point seven, one point two, one point zero, zero point eight, zero point six…"

Around the controls, her grip tightened, the heavy plastics creaking slightly. She felt a familiar prickling at the back of her neck, a silent whisper.

"Zero point five, zero point four, zero point three, zero point two, zero point one…borderline cleared. Unit Zero has successfully activated."

"Roger. Beginning interlock test." Rei said, fingers beginning to flit over the finer controls.

* * *

"Ikari…" Fuyutsuki set the phone back down on its cradle, and looked over at his superior. "An unidentified object is approaching. It could very well be the fifth Angel."

"Abort the test." Gendo said, turning on the spot to face him. "All hands on first class alert."

Numerous staff nodded, some moving out of their seats and filing towards the door, to head towards their battle stations.

"What of EVA Unit Zero?" Fuyutsuki inquired, and the Commander shook his head, glancing back at the orange titan through the safety glass.

"It's not nearly ready for combat as of yet. Doctor Akagi?"

The bottle-blonde looked up from a monitor, towards the two men.

"What's the current status of Units One and Two?"

"Both pilots are ready. Unit One can be ready in three-hundred and eighty seconds, Unit Two in two-hundred and fifty." The doctor replied, watching as Gendo nodded, looking back out at Unit Zero.

"Scramble Unit Two immediately. Have Unit One on standby."

"Understood, sir." Ritsuko nodded.

* * *

"Rei?" Gendo's voice came through again. "The test has been aborted for now."

"Understood." She replied, as the plug darkened around her.

For a moment, she didn't move, but it was only until the final flickers of feeling from Unit Zero had left her, that she finally let out a breath of relief, one that bubbled away into the LCL around her.

* * *

**Apologies for the long wait. Please read and review.**


	25. Episode 5 - Active Red - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Four weeks ago._

* * *

Closing over his journal, Gouken sat back, and let out a deep sigh, before grabbing the book and sliding it into a small drawer underneath the table.

The call from NERV had brought uncertainty and silence into what had been a warm, lively home, and had left Gouken with no small measure of apprehension, both for himself and his children.

_I don't even know what they want them for…and I doubt they would even tell me if I asked. _

The door to the main room slid open slowly, and he glanced up – Asuka, dressed in her gi, peeked through, before moving in, her steps tentative.

"Gouken-_sensei…" _She murmured, her manner a far cry from the vigorous, vibrant girl of norm.

"Asuka…where's Shinji?"

"I think he's packing – or trying to, at least. He doesn't know what to take with him…" The redhead gave a small, weak chuckle, one that died quickly. "Then again, I don't either."

Nodding, Gouken stared down at the table in front of him, and then began to rise to his feet.

"Walk with me, Asuka."

* * *

Master and student found themselves following a familiar path through the woods, narrow and twisting. Asuka had been silent for the most part – occasionally, she would look over to Gouken, and open her mouth – but the words would die in her throat, and she instead would look at the road ahead.

"You've come a long way, Asuka." Gouken mused, breaking the silence.

"Hm?" The redhead glanced at her _sensei, _before nodding in understanding. "Yeah, I guess I have…I was a nightmare when I first came here…"

"You certainly were…" Gouken said, wholeheartedly, and Asuka blanched slightly. "I spent endless days wondering what horrors awaited Shinji in his next training session, how you would blow up next."

Asuka avoided Gouken's gaze, and wondered if this was some kind of twisted motivational speech.

"But…" He continued, looking over to her with a warm smile, "I worry no longer. You've grown into a stronger, more balanced person."

The redhead looked back towards him, before rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "I guess so…" She murmured. "But I couldn't have done it if you hadn't put up with me."

"True. It wasn't easy – but it was worth it." Gouken stopped, and turned to face the girl across from him. "And to see you, and Shinji, grow into strong, honourable warriors under me – I couldn't be more proud."

Asuka seemed bashful now, cheeks red and gaze fleeting. "You're laying it on pretty thick, _sensei_."

"Only because you deserve more praise than I could ever hope to offer…" He replied, smiling, before he looked towards the path leading back to the dojo. He paused, a small sigh escaping him, before he moved forward and placed his hands on Asuka's shoulders.

"Asuka."

The redhead met his gaze, and Gouken spoke, voice quiet and firm.

"Whatever happens out there…I want you to look out for Shinji. Even if he's suffering, if he's afraid, he won't reach out. You know how he is…"

Asuka nodded. "Yeah, of course."

"Good…and look out for yourself, as well. Don't do anything stupid." Gouken warned, before squeezing her shoulders gently, and moving back. "Now… " He began, tone lighter than before, "I think it's time you had a proper goodbye."

"Gouken-_sensei?"_

The master moved past the girl, before turning to face her. "It's past time we sparred." He mused, moving slowly into a formal, rigid stance. Asuka smirked slightly, and moved into her own, beginning to bounce on her toes gently.

"Prepare yourself…" The man warned, and the redhead's smirk morphed into a wide grin.

"Let's go, old man!" She called, and dashed forward.

* * *

_Now._

* * *

"Releasing primary lock bolts." A voice came, over the communications system. Inside EVA Unit Two's entry plug, Asuka responded.

"Release confirmed."

"Roger." The reply was sharp, formal.

As Unit Two was released from confinement in the Cages, the redhead glanced to her left – to a catwalk only slightly above the cyborg's head.

Both Rei and Shinji looked down at her, wearing their plugsuits. Shinji's face seemed tight – perhaps with fear, whilst Rei's was simply blank.

"Relax, baka." Asuka muttered, her voice echoing over the EVA's speakers. "I'll be fine. Besides, it's way past time I bagged my first Angel." She watched as Shinji's expression eased somewhat, a small smile emerging. "Besides, if you can manage it, it's gonna be a breeze for me…" She teased, and chuckled quietly as he rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

* * *

Above Tokyo-3, a strange vision approached – a crystalline octahedron, vividly blue with a dark strip across its middle, hovered over the cityscape, and filled the air around it with an unearthly chorus, a strange, reverberating noise that could be likened to some kind of choir's song.

* * *

The EVA lurched forward somewhat as the pad underneath it began to slide towards the ejectors, and Asuka rolled her neck, and cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

_This Angel isn't even gonna know what hit it._

Unit Two locked in place, and above it, blast doors slid open up the length of the transit tube, one after the other.

_I've come too far to let some alien freaks take me out – and there's no chance in hell I'd let them hurt Shinji, or anyone else._

"EVA Unit Two is ready for launch!" Another voice said, and Asuka settled herself into her seat, gripping the control yokes tightly.

_If there's anything I learned under Gouken-sensei, it's that I can overcome anything, if I have the will – the spirit necessary to triumph. _

"Launch!" Misato barked over the communications.

_Let's do this._

The EVA was suddenly blasted up at incredible speeds, and Asuka grit her teeth, refusing to let gravity press her any further into the seat.

* * *

The Angel halted in its advance, and its middle seam seemed to shimmer with raw energy.

* * *

Aoba's eyes widened as new data flashed across his monitor.

"We're detecting a high-energy reaction inside the target!" He called, and behind him, Misato jerked, her tone shocked.

"_What?"_

"It's accelerating!" He spluttered, fingers stabbing his keyboard. "Massing upon itself!"

"It can't be!" Ritsuko gasped, dashing forward to examine the monitor itself.

* * *

The last of the blast doors slid open, allowing Unit Two to ascend to street level. It stopped hard, lurching, and Asuka grimaced from the sudden halt.

"Asuka, get out of the way!" Misato screamed, and the redhead glanced ahead, narrowing her eyes.

"Wha –"

The energy collected inside the Angel, and gleamed – a star-shaped shine of power.

In front of Unit Two, a building simply _melted, _and a narrow, blindingly bright beam burst through. It It hit the behemoth dead centre, the armour plating of the torso beginning to melt and burst as the Angel's attack bored through.

Inside the Entry Plug, Asuka screamed, shrill as the LCL meant to cushion her and aid her connection to the EVA boiled around her, adding to the agony burning in her chest. She trashed wildly, pulling on the control yokes so hard the plastic began to crack from the pressure.

* * *

Horror played out across Shinji's face, as his friend's agonised screams were broadcasted through the cage's speakers. He trembled, gripping the railing in front of him for dear life, as Rei looked on behind him, implacable.

* * *

Lurching forward in her seat, Asuka's high, warbling screams began to break off as she clamped her jaw shut, her teeth grinding together even as more shrieks struggled to escape her throat. She looked dead ahead, and through the blinding light and flashing warning signs, she saw the Angel.

Face twisting with impossible pain and rage, the redhead let out a long, unbroken roar, almost deafening.

Around her hands, heat began to build, the material of the plugsuit beginning to char and glow.

* * *

"Unit Two's AT Field is shifting!" Maya yelled, and Misato looked forward, terrified bemusement plain on her face.

_What now?_

"I'm detecting an exothermic reaction inside the Entry Plug!" The technician called.

* * *

Flames burst from Asuka's hands, burning bright despite the LCL which should have doused them. Simultaneously, Unit Two's hands were engulfed with vivid, orange fire, but their brightness was easily eclipsed by the Angel's powerful attack.

* * *

"Just retrieve her! Hurry!" Misato barked.

* * *

Suddenly, the pad underneath Unit Two unlocked, beginning to lower it down into the street once more. The sudden shock of movement threw Asuka out of her furious fit, and she lurched forward, groaning as the flames at her hands, and Unit Two's, died. Above her, the Angel's beam tore through asphalt and metal as it attempted to follow its target, but quickly faded away into nothing.

The redhead slumped back in her seat, unconscious, blood streaming from her nose.

* * *

"Target silent!" Hyuga barked, and behind him, Misato leaned forward, a hand on her shoulder as she looked at the screen.

"What's Asuka's status?" She asked, her voice wavering.

"Alive, ma'am." He responded, and a voice from the Cages echoed over the communications.

"**Unit Two retrieved! In transit towards Cage Seven!"**

Misato stepped back, and then dashed over to the nearby elevator, fingers stabbing at the controls. She looked up at Ritsuko, voice tight.

"I'm heading down there. Take over for me…"

* * *

As Unit Two was locked back into place in the Cage, armour steaming, Shinji dashed along the catwalk, Rei staying close behind.

"Asuka!" The boy screamed, eyes moving between the damaged EVA and the catwalk in front of him.

* * *

As the Captain disappeared down below, Hyuga turned his gaze back to his monitor.

"The pilot's brainwaves are erratic – her pulse is dangerously weak!" He said.

"Activate the life support system!" Ritsuko called. "Give her a heart massage!"

* * *

Barely conscious, Asuka grunted and jerked in her seat as defibrillators in the torso of her plugsuit activated with an audible _thump._

"Pulse stabilising!" Hyuga reported, and Ritsuko nodded, turning to look at Maya.

"Force-eject the Entry Plug!" She barked. "Begin Emergency LCL Discharge!"

* * *

As the Entry Plug was carefully plucked from the back of Unit Two's neck by precision cranes, jets of pressurised LCL spurted out from several nozzles around it. Once emptied, the top portion of the plug was removed, releasing gouts of steam out into the Cage, and revealing the unconscious form of its pilot.

"Asuka! Asuk –" Shinji's calls were abruptly halted as he collided with something, and landed ungracefully on the hard metal catwalk. Blinking, he pulled himself to his feet, and watched as Rei helped pull Misato up as well.

The woman glared at Shinji with a mixture of sympathy and frustration, and turned, watching as Asuka, along with her seat and controls, was carefully extracted from the plug. Beside her, Shinji stared, shoulders slumped and utterly helpless.

* * *

Looming above the concrete ground of the city, the Angel stopped. From the very tip of its lowest point, the crystalline form began to warp into a twisting sapphire spike, reaching down towards the ground. As it contacted the concrete, the makeshift drill began to turn, easily boring into the surface.

* * *

As Asuka's stretcher was wheeled down the corridor towards the operating theatre, Misato kept an eye on the two children behind her whilst she moved alongside it. Shinji's eyes were locked on his companion's unconscious form – his entire being seemed to radiate a sense of defeat and dread.

Moments later, the nurses wheeled the stretcher into the theatre, and the doors clamped shut in front of Misato and the children, shutting them out as the operating lights blinked on.

"Misato?"

Shinji's voice came, weak and broken. The captain didn't react, simply staring ahead at the door to the operating theatre.

"Misato, what do we do?" He asked, again, voice cracking.

"Now…" Misato breathed, and faced Shinji once more, expression icy, refusing to betray her own fear, "Now we wait. And pray."

Behind the both of them, Rei looked ahead, thoughts focused on the redhead that lay beyond the doors – and the plugsuit gloves that had been charred away.

* * *

**And that's it for Episode Five. Next Episode - the secret comes out. Read and review!**


	26. Episode 6 - Surge Fist - Part 1

Within the darkened expanse of his office, Gendo Ikari frowned imperceptibly, mouth a tight line behind his steepled fingers. To his right was Fuyutsuki, silently looking ahead – and standing in front of the desk, haggard, was the Second Child.

Asuka's face was tired, her shoulders slumped, and her hair was unbound from the ribbon that had previously held it back in a ponytail. Her scarlet plugsuit still shimmered with the sticky sheen of dried LCL – save for her right hand, where the material had been burnt away, the cuff above it blackened and charred.

The commander and the pilot looked at each other for a small eternity, neither saying anything.

Finally, Asuka spoke, her words carefully chosen.

"Commander – _why _am I being held here?"

"You know full well, Second Child." Gendo retorted, curt.

"What I _know,"_Asuka replied, her tone carrying some venom, "is that after destroying that Angel, and after getting Shinji to the medics, you had me hauled away in handcuffs."

"You withheld vital information from NERV." The commander shot back, with sudden power in his voice. "Information that, as proven, is absolutely invaluable to our cause, and humanity's survival. And we _will _find out what you did – and how you did it, no matter who we have to go to."

Asuka's fists clenched, her stomach churning with apprehension. Fury flashed across her face for the briefest of seconds, but she remained where she was.

"What do you want to know?" She finally ground out.

Beside the commander, Fuyutsuki stepped forward, his manner somewhat gentler than the other man.

"Tell us about yesterday, Pilot - before Operation Yashima began."

"That's nothing you don't already know." She replied.

"Humor us." Fuyutsuki said.

With an inhale, Asuka straightened up, and focused on the two men in front of her.

"Fine."

* * *

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

_Many hours ago._

* * *

"From the data we've collected, we can assume that the Angel attacks any aggressor within a given range."

Leaning back in her chair, Misato balanced a pen between two fingers as she examined the data in front of her.

"Anything entering that range will be destroyed," Hyuga mused beside her, "making it far too risky for close combat in an EVA, right?"

Misato didn't reply, instead setting the pen back down and turning to another technician.

"What's the status of its AT Field?" She asked, eyes still on the monitor in front of her.

"Still active. It's strong enough that the visible changes in the phase space are visible." The technician replied.

On the screen, a powerful cannon fired, sending a large tracer slug in the direction of the Angel. Before it could impact the crystalline creature, however, its AT Field shimmered into life, casually deflecting the projectile.

"Using conventional means of attack – guided missiles, artillery, bombs – will inflict more damage on us than on the Angel!" Hyuga sighed, looking at the screen.

"Offensively and defensively, the Angel's perfect – a literal flying fortress." Misato said, frowning. "What's the status on its 'drill'?"

"At the moment, the target's directly above us – and using its AT Field to bore through to NERV HQ."

"It's going to attack NERV directly…" Hyuga said.

"Sassy bastard…" Misato murmured, narrowing her eyes. "What's its ETA?"

"Six-thirty four AM. Just after midnight. By then, it'll have penetrated all twenty-two layers of armour, and compromise NERV HQ itself."

"Giving us less than ten hours…" The captain breathed, before the communications system buzzed into life, above them.

"**The Angel has come into contact with the first armour plate."**

"Right – what's the status of Unit Two?" Misato asked, turning in her chair to face Hyuga. The technician at the other end of the communications paused, before offering an answer.

"**It'll take three hours to install replacement parts."**

"And Unit Zero is still encountering feedback errors…meaning it wouldn't be able to cope with prolonged combat." Misato said. "Unit One's still fully operational, though…what's the status of Unit Two's pilot?"

Flicking through pages on his clipboard, Hyuga read from a medical report, eyes flitting over vital details.

"No severe physical damage – but her nerve pulses are up by point-eight percent. Still within acceptable limits.

"**Enemy arrival in nine hours, fifty-five minutes!**" The communications squawked.

"Talk about high-pressure situations…" Misato sighed, crossing her arms.

"Maybe we should try raising a white flag?" Hyuga suggested, his tone joking.

"Before we do that…there's one other thing I'd like to try…" The captain replied, leaning forward and smirking at the image of the Angel in front of her.

* * *

"You want a sniper to shoot the target from outside its firing range?" Fuyutsuki echoed, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes, sir." Misato replied, from across the expanse of Commander Ikari's office. "Instead of attempting to neutralise the enemy's AT Field, I believe a pin-point shot with a high energy weapon is the only option."

"What do the MAGI have to say about it?" The vice commander enquired.

"The responses from the three MAGI supercomputers were two affirmative and one conditional affirmative." Misato said.

"Our probability of success is eight-point-seven percent." Fuyutsuki mused. In response, Misato let her lips curl into a fearless smile.

"That's the highest value we could get." She replied.

"I see no reason to reject the plan." Gendo interjected, sharp. "Proceed, Captain Katsuragi."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Inside of Unit One, Shinji sat back in his seat, silent. It had been hours since Asuka had been rushed to the medical wing, hours since he had been able to see her, and he couldn't shake the ever-present fear for the well-being – and life – of his friend.

Yet, Misato had remained focused, even upbeat, at times, as she directed both him and Rei, as well as the myriad staff under her. The boy sighed, as realisation dawned on him, his hands flexing around his EVA's controls.

_It makes sense. You can't have any kind of leader who falls apart when something like this happens – especially if their duty is to direct battles. It might not seem like what happened to Asuka affected her…even if it did, it wouldn't matter – it couldn't._

"Alright, Rei – Shinji!" Misato's voice chirped over the communications system. "Take it away!"

Shinji watched with a small measure of bemusement as EVA Unit Zero reached out, and began to lift the roof off the expansive warehouse in front of them. The orange titan reached into the building, and withdrew a massive, narrow cargo container.

"Be careful with that – it's delicate equipment!" The captain warned, and Shinji made a small sound of acknowledgement as he took the crate in both of Unit One's hands, whilst Unit Zero retrieved another.

After setting the crate down on a nearby transport, Shinji glanced at Unit Zero, before opening a communications window. Rei's face appeared, her eyes flitting towards Shinji for the briefest of moments, before they refocused ahead of her.

"Yes, Pilot Ikari?" She asked, as Unit Zero handed the next of the crates to Unit One. Shinji focused on setting the crate on the transport before replying, a little terrified of making a misstep and damaging the equipment inside it.

"This is some kind of rifle, right?"

"A prototype self-propelled positron cannon." Rei supplied.

"Uh…yeah. This thing needs power, right?"

"It does."

"Well - what we going to power it with? I heard Misato saying it needed a _lot _of energy."

* * *

Chopsticks jabbing at his rice and pork, Gouken alternated his gaze between the food and the small, ancient television set on the table in front of him, the afternoon news on screen. The female newscaster droned on in a sickly sweet voice about the day's events – all trivial, and the master let out a sigh.

_Again – nothing about what's happening in Tokyo-3. I've heard whispers – overheard snippets of conversation, but nothing cohesive. Nothing concrete._

With one eye on his meal and the other on the television, Gouken watched as the image of the newscaster was suddenly replaced by another. Raising one eyebrow slowly, he listened as the woman began to speak.

"We apologize for interrupting regular programming for this emergency bulletin. From eleven-thirty PM today until early tomorrow morning, there will be a large-scale power blackout throughout all of Japan. We kindly ask for your cooperation."

Leaning back slightly, Gouken set his bowl on the table, and called out.

"Senzo?"

After a moment, a reply came, from the other end of the dojo.

"Yes?"

"There's going to be a blackout tonight." Gouken said, glancing back at the television as the woman began to repeat the message. "Doesn't say what it's for, though…"

_But something tells me it wouldn't be outlandish to guess it has to do with Tokyo-3._

* * *

"**The Angel has penetrated the seventh armour plate!"**

Scowling for the briefest of moments, Misato glanced to the left of the command centre, and ordered a communication line opened to the many busy departments around NERV, before leaning forward, resting a hand on Hyuga's chair.

"How's our power supply coming along?" She asked.

Hyuga frowned, taking a moment to form a reply as he shifted through windows on his monitor. "We're currently about three-point-two percent behind schedule, but we should be finished in time."

Nodding, Misato moved back, glancing to her left. "What about the positron rifle?"

The communication system crackled as a technician on the other end grabbed the receiver.

"**For the honour of Technology Division Three, we'll have this built in three hours!"**

"And for defence?" Misato asked, looking to her right as Ritsuko answered.

"**Well, a shield is the best we can come up with in such a short timeframe…it was part of a single-stage-to-orbit shuttle – the ventral plating was super-electromagnetically coated, and Section Two assures us it can withstand the enemy's particle beam for seventeen seconds."**

"Good work, Ritsuko. Where are we setting up the shot?" Misato asked, looking forward again. Hyuga leaned in closer to his display, replying.

"Considering the position of the target, geographical features and access to the power transformers, this," the technician indicated a point on the map in front of him, "is the optimal position."

"Excellent!" Misato said. "Our sniper will attack near the top of Mount Futago. Have we decided on a position for Unit Two yet?"

"Yes, ma'am." Hyuga replied, and pointed to another point on the map, on the opposite side of the Angel. "We've chosen a heavily clustered region to provide cover if and when the Angel fires at her."

"That'll do perfectly. She only needs to provide a distraction in case we fail."

Stepping back, the woman raised her voice, to address the entire command centre.

"The operation will commence at zero-hundred hours tomorrow morning. As of now this operation will be referred to as 'Operation Yashima'."

"Roger." Hyuga said.

_Now – the only remaining problem is Asuka. _

"The pilot of Unit Two has regained consciousness!" Aoba piped up, behind her. "Her examination results seem normal."

"Good." Misato replied. "Then the operation is proceeding as planned."

"Roger."

"Now…" The captain said, "Let's transfer to Mount Futago. Quickly!"

* * *

Asuka grimaced, eyes closed. Her face felt somewhat uncomfortable as she did, and she shifted in the hospital bed, the sheets sliding across her body. The redhead winced as a scratchy sensation blossomed on her skin in response, and remained still.

_I feel like I've got a full-body sunburn…what happened? _

The girl sat up in the bed, the sheets falling to her waist, her hair loose and falling across her back and shoulders. As a chill washed over her bare upper body, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. Gradually, memories returned to her of hours earlier, and her eyes widened.

_The Angel – I got my ass kicked. They didn't send Shinji up after me, did they?_

The door to the room slid open with a hiss, and Asuka glanced over – Rei came through the doorway, pushing a white trolley ahead of her. The two made eye contact – which Asuka broke first, underneath the albino's unflinching, piercing gaze.

"Pilot Sohryu – I've been sent her to brief you on the timetable for Operation Yashima." Rei stated, then plucked a small journal from the pocket of her uniform skirt.

"The operation will begin at zero-hundred hours. Prior to that, Pilots Ikari, Ayanami and Sohryu will arrive at the EVA Cages at seventeen-thirty. At eighteen-hundred hours, EVA Units Zero, One and Two will activate."

Asuka narrowed her eyes, somewhat uneasy at the other girl as she recited orders, tone measured and words sharp.

"At eighteen-oh-five, the Units will deploy. At eighteen-thirty, Units Zero and One will arrive at the temporary base on Mount Futago, while Unit Two will arrive its designated destination. Once all Units are in place, all pilots will await further instructions."

Without pause, Rei reached underneath the top of the trolley, and withdrew a folded red plugsuit, wrapped in plastic. It was nonchalantly tossed onto the bed, and Asuka sat up a little straighter.

"This is your new plugsuit. Your meal," The albino gestured to the top of the trolley – a metal tray with an unattractive assortment of ready-made, processed food lying on top, "Is here."

The redhead stared at the tray for several seconds, before sighing and reaching for it. "Thanks." She murmured, setting it on her lap, staring at the food.

Rei watched her, silent, before glancing down at Asuka's hands.

"Pilot Sohryu."

Asuka glanced up, about to shovel a rubbery egg into her mouth.

"There is a matter to discuss –"

The door to the hospital room opened again, and Shinji dashed in, panting slightly.

"I came here as soon as I heard you woke up…" The boy said, a smile beginning to break out on his face – which quickly vanished when he realised that Asuka was naked from the waist up.

"Sorry!" He spluttered, covering his eyes with his hand, and the redhead drew the sheets up over her chest, a dusting of red on her cheeks.

"You can look now." Asuka murmured, and Shinji lowered his hand, blushing. He approached the bed, stopping beside Rei, and looked down at her.

"Are you alright? I saw them take you out of the plug, you looked –"

"Like hell? I gathered that." Asuka cut her worried friend off, smirking slightly. "But I'm fine. Apart from a crazy sunburn. What about you?"

"Me?" Shinji replied, quizzical. "Well…

Rei looked between the two as conversation blossomed – the previously subdued pilot of Unit Two had become animated, talkative as soon as Shinji had appeared.

_The two pilots are familiar – communication comes easily, freely to them under many different circumstances. _

_It would not be unreasonable to assume that Pilot Ikari would have knowledge that pertains to the strange readings in the entry plug – but that investigation can wait for another time. A more pressing matter is at hand._

"Doctor Akagi and Captain Katsuragi are waiting for us in the Cages." Rei interjected, sharply. "I would recommend you get dressed as quickly as possible, Pilot Sohryu. Pilot Ikari?"

"Oh – yeah. See you in the Cages?" Shinji said, and Asuka nodded, reaching for her plugsuit.

"See you there."

* * *

**And Episode Six begins. I'm sorry that I can't offer you a longer chapter, and that it took so long to churn out - but I hope the next part will make up for it! Read and review!**


	27. Episode 6 - Surge Fist - Part 2

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

_**NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI**_

* * *

Hikari looked up at the ceiling of her room, face dour. Dressed casually, she lay back on her bed, counting the seconds until the time came – until she had to trade this world for another, one that disheartened and bewildered her.

_Then again…we do have monsters attacking the city – and giant robots to fight them. _

_Still, I'd take that world over the one waiting for me any day of the week – does that make me selfish? Cruel? Maybe. But it's only a matter of time before the clan attempts to kill Ikari - and before I become an accessory to murder. _

_Why can't they see that killing Ikari is just…wrong? He commands the Evangelions, he protects this city! We have no right to kill him! _

_Father tells me that ninjutsu is an honourable art – yet we sell our skill in it to the highest bidder. _

_Our clan lost any scrap of honour after the reform – after Second Impact. _

_Growing up, Kodama used to tell stories of famous shinobi of the clan, who used their skills to preserve balance and promote justice. Yet, when I was inducted into the clan, I realised we were nothing more than criminals for hire. _

_And I don't want that life for Nozomi – but at the same time, I don't want to displease my father, or leave my family. _

"Hikari?"

Hikari sat up, glancing to her right as Kodama's voice reached her ears.

Her sister stood in the doorway, one eyebrow cocked. "You do realise we only have ten minutes before we leave?"

The younger of the two nodded, slowly, and swung her legs over the side of her bed, before standing up and facing the older. "Yeah, I know…" Hikari said, almost whispering.

"…Then get dressed. Quickly." Kodama murmured. "And focus up. You seem…out of it, tonight."

"I'm fine, sis. I'll be ready in a few minutes." Hikari replied, moving over to a tall wardrobe on the other side of her bedroom. She glanced back at her sister as she reached out, pulling the doors open.

Wordlessly, Kodama moved away from the doorway, and Hikari took a deep breath before reaching into the wardrobe, retrieving her uniform.

Stripping down to her underwear, the girl reached up, and undid her pigtails, her hair falling loose across her back. Grabbing a nondescript black tank-top, she slipped it on.

Next, Hikari donned a sleeveless, tan-coloured doji – baggy, flowing hakama pants that stopped just below her knee and bared the flesh of her hips, and a sleeveless top. Belting both together securely, she moved to wrap her shins, ankles and instep in plain white bandage, before grabbing two armguards of a darker brown colour.

Donning them, she then quickly wrapped a tan bandana around the top of her head, and with deft fingers, secured her hair back into a single topknot. A plain mask of darker colour lay at the bottom of the wardrobe, and Hikari reached down, grabbing the fabric and lifting it up for inspection.

The girl stared at it for several moments, then let out a heavy, resigned sigh, before tying it around her mouth and nose. She then reached back into the wardrobe, hands sliding open hidden compartments at the back. Plucking several _kunai _knives and small smoke capsules from their hiding spots, Hikari slid them into holsters and pouches hidden in her uniform, before closing the wardrobe and stepping back.

She turned, and stared at a small mirror, mounted on the wall across from her, just above her bed.

A ninja stared back – one that seemed slightly swamped by their uniform, one who would like nothing better than to rip it off and climb into bed and under the sheets, never to emerge again.

Finally, Hikari squared herself, and faced her open bedroom window. Moving forward, she slithered through the open space, and out into the cool night air, before pulling herself up onto the roof of the house.

_Figures that she's already there._

Kodama glanced at Hikari as the latter swung herself up onto the roof, her gaze disdainful.

"When you said a few minutes, I thought you were just being flippant." She murmured. Hikari sighed, moving beside her.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" The younger of the two replied, and Kodama snorted.

She was dressed similarly to Hikari, save for a few differences – the uniform seemed tighter, seemed to hug her curves better, and a longbow was slung across her right shoulder, with a quiver, stocked full of arrows, slung over her left to accompany it.

"I hope you're not as tardy when we move on NERV." Kodama muttered, oblivious to how Hikari rolled her eyes. "Let's go. We have a lot of ground to cover, quickly."

Hikari made a small sound of affirmation, almost a grunt, and the two leapt out into the night – and towards the battle brewing in the centre of Tokyo-3.

* * *

"This thing wasn't really built for actual use in the field…do you think it'll work?" Shinji asked, one eye on Ritsuko, the other on the massive rifle EVA Unit One had set in position half an hour prior.

"It might seem a little ramshackle, but this is an emergency. This was our only option." Ritsuko replied, glancing back at it.

She, Misato, Shinji and Rei stood on an observation platform, looking out from Mount Futago towards Tokyo-3. The Angel loomed in the distance, always silent, always still.

Misato suppressed a small shiver as she looked at it.

_In that way, it's probably the most terrifying one yet. Absolutely alien._

Behind her, Shinji piped up again. "Are you sure it's completely safe to use?"

"Theoretically. The setup works on paper, but we have no way of knowing if the accelerator and cannon will stand up to such a high power output." Ritsuko mused.

"Alright." Misato started, drawing the group's attention. "Here's the battle plan. Shinji?"

"Yes?"

"You'll be the rifleman, in Unit One. Rei, you'll be defending him with Unit Zero."

"Understood." The albino murmured.

"This is because Shinji's sync-ratio is at eighty-five percent – and the precision that affords is crucial to the operation's success." Ritsuko said. "Since the positron beam is influenced by the magnetic field, gravitational pull and the revolution of the Earth, it will not fire in a straight line. Don't forget to adjust for that error - you must hit the core _precisely._"

"And what about Asuka?" Shinji inquired.

"Asuka's set up on the opposite side of the city, in the mountains as well." We've set her up with a palette rifle. She'll be running interference if needed." Misato said.

"Interference?" The boy couldn't help but sound somewhat apprehensive at the idea, given what had happened to his friend the last time she'd faced the Angel in her Evangelion.

"Simply our insurance policy. If you need a few extra seconds, or the Angel is preparing to fire on you, Asuka will fire a few volleys to get its attention – and then get behind the mountains as quickly as she can." The captain elaborated.

Shinji shifted on the spot, uncomfortable, before he spoke again. "And you're sure Asuka can get to cover in time? What if the Angel just blows through the mountain?"

"Shinji." Misato looked at the boy, gaze heavy. "You can't think like that. Simply focus on getting the job done, alright?"

"I…alright." Shinji sighed, and nodded firmly.

"Remember – when you fire, you'll need to load a new fuse, and wait for the barrel to cool before you can reload and fire a second shot." Ritsuko warned.

"Got it."

"Good." Misato said. "It's time – go change, you two."

* * *

Depressing the button on the cuff of his plugsuit, Shinji suppressed a shudder as the suit conformed to the contours of his body. The material felt artificial and rigid, no matter how many times he had donned it, or how many hours he'd spent in it.

To his right was an opaque glass divider – he spied Rei's bare feet and ankles through the space between it and the ground.

Closing his eyes, Shinji rose to his feet, and inhaled – he brought his arms up, close to his chest.

_This Angel – this monster almost killed Asuka, my friend, without any effort. _

_It could do the same to me, and to Rei._

_I could die here, now – in the mountains of a city that's not my own - inside of some robot-thing that I barely understand._

_And yet…_

_This is just another challenge. Another moment in my training. And I would never turn my back on such a thing – much less leave everybody here to die. _

_The fight is everything. _

Shinji exhaled, and slowly brought his arms back down to his sides. His eyes opened, and he looked ahead, his gaze unflinching.

* * *

On the opposite end of the city, deep in high, difficult mountain terrain, Unit Two was nestled, a palette rifle clutched to its chest. Ever so slightly, it peeked over the top of the mountain it hid behind, and gazed at the Angel.

_Nothing yet._

Asuka cursed silently, and lifted one hand off the controls to check the small digital watch on the underside of her plugsuit's left wrist.

_Minutes left. I need to pull myself together…_

The redhead sat back in her seat, squeezing the control yokes, and then tugging on them a few times for good measure as she struggled to expend her nervous energy.

_I can't even think…If that thing kills Shinji, never mind me, I…God, I need to focus up. Their lives could depend on me, damnit! And If I distract myself moping, they will die! _

_Just stay put. Wait for Misato's orders, and follow them when the time comes. Just stay calm. That thing won't even scratch me this time. It won't. _

_See? Totally calm right now –_

"Asuka?"

"_Ah!" _Asuka all but sprang up out of her chair at the sound of Shinji's voice, and then groaned, leaning forward in her seat.

"Yeah, Shinji?" The redhead managed, glancing up slightly.

"Are you alright?" Shinji asked, over the communications system. "You seem a little –"l

"M' fine." Asuka replied, a little sharp. "I mean – I'm just…never mind. How are things on your end?"

"Me and Rei are doing alright…we're just waiting for Misato's orders at the moment."

"Oh."

There was a sigh before Shinji spoke again, his tone slightly exasperated. "Asuka, something is wrong. Would you _please _tell me what's going on?"

Asuka didn't reply at first, instead staring ahead contemplatively. Her hands left the control yokes, and she reclined in her seat, crossing her arms.

"Shinji?" She asked, quietly.

"Yeah?"

"You know I've got your back, right?" Asuka murmured. Shinji's reply was almost instantaneous, if a little bemused.

"Of course."

"And you've got mine?" She asked, as she willed her EVA to glance over the mountains at the crystalline creature in the heart of the city.

* * *

"Always." Shinji murmured, to the communicator in his plugsuit's forearm.

"Good to hear." Asuka's voice, tinny, echoed out of the speaker. Before Shinji could try and continue the conversation, his friend had ended it, his communicator giving a sharp _beep._

"Asuka? What was that about?" The boy murmured to himself.

"Pilot Sohryu has a bond to you."

"Hm?" Shinji looked to his right, at Rei. The two sat on two parallel metal walkways, an expansive view of the darkened Tokyo-3 and Angel in front of them.

"She is close to you. Affectionate."

"Oh…well…yeah, she is. We're friends." Shinji replied, gazing out at the city. "We've been like that for years."

Rei seemed to process this information for a moment, then nodded slightly, before continuing. "She would trust you with information, correct?"

"Information?"

"Personal matters. Secrets." The albino elaborated.

"I guess…" The boy murmured, thinking to himself. Rei decided that now was the time to ask – but Shinji suddenly spoke, voice curious.

"Do you have anyone like that, Rei?"

The question caught her off guard, and Rei remained silent as she tried to fully understand it.

_Anyone – like the Second? Anyone to whom…I am close?_

_Perhaps – perhaps the Commander. _

"I believe – Commander Ikari – would be such a person to me." She said, slowly.

"My…father?" Shinji spoke, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes." Rei said, firmly, as if reaffirming it to herself as well. "He is your father as well – do you not have a bond with him?"

Shinji frowned, and hugged his knees to his chest.

"I don't…I don't know. I've been here for weeks, but we've barely talked. And honestly…most of the time, I don't care."

The boy's response drew a visible frown from Rei, who turned towards him, listening intently.

"I barely remember anything from when I was younger." Shinji continued, voice soft. "Before I came to the dojo…but after that, I met my _sensei…_and sometimes, when I think of my father, I can't help but think of him. Gouken-_sensei_ and Asuka are like family to me…but my father…"

Shinji drifted off, and let out a great sigh, staring up at the sky.

The two children remained silent for several more seconds, before Rei rose to her feet.

"It's time."

Nodding, Shinji also stood up, and stared ahead. In the distance, the Angel loomed, ready and waiting to receive them.

* * *

"Operation commencing!" Hyuga called.

"Listen up, Shinji." Misato began, inside of the mobile command centre. Beside her was Ritsuko, looking on. "You've got all the energy of Japan behind you. We're all counting on you!"

Shinji's voice came back over the communications, firm.

"Understood."

"Initiate primary connections!" The captain called.

"Initiating power transfer from districts numbers one through eight-oh-three!" Hyuga replied, fingers flickering across his keyboard.

"**Voltage is rising. Water exchange units reaching pressure zone." **A female voice announced.

"All cooling systems at full power." Hyuga said.

Another voice came, male. **"Temperature stable. No anomalies detected!"**

"Positron charge is nominal." A female technician chirped, and Misato nodded before speaking.

"Initiate secondary connection."

"All accelerators are engaging…" The technician replied.

"Activating convergence unit now." Maya announced.

"**Transmitting all power to Mount Futago temporary substation. No problems reported."**

"Release all final safeties!" Misato ordered.

"Releasing final safety lock!" Hyuga answered.

* * *

EVA Unit One pulled back the bolt on the positron rifle, loading the fuse into the firing chamber.

Inside the Entry Plug, a targeting headset extended out from behind Shinji's seat, and lowered over his eyes as voices continued to chatter around him.

On the headset's display, two crosshairs danced around, flickering as they moved ever closer to convergence, and to rest upon the Angel.

"**Error corrections for Earth rotation and gravity is zero-point-zero-zero-zero-nine. Voltage is zero-point-two short of critical."**

"Seventh – tenth connections engaged! Transmitting all energy to the positron rifle!" Hyuga barked, over the communications.

Shinji exhaled, grip tightening on the control yokes ever so slightly as Hyuga began to count down.

* * *

"Eight…seven…six…"

"High energy reaction detected inside the target!" Maya barked.

Ritsuko paled. "What?"

"Three…two…one…"

"Fire!" Misato bellowed.

* * *

The moment the two crosshairs aligned, Shinji's fingers depressed the triggers.

In an instant, a blinding stream of white shot out from the positron rifle, at the very same moment that the Angel's own beam sparked to life.

The two streams of energy raced towards each other, across the lake separating the city and the mountains – but before they could meet, both of them twisted out of the other's path.

The positron beam veered to the right of the Angel, and impacted a city block close by, obliterating it as the Angel's own attack hit only a few hundred meters behind Unit One.

Both the EVA and the command centre rocked violently with the force of the blast, and Shinji grit his teeth as light flooded the EVA's vision.

* * *

Yells and cries filled the command centre as it was viciously shaken by the force of the Angel's blast – windows shattered, emergency lighting activated and technicians were sent sprawling out of their chairs.

Pulling herself to her feet, Misato looked to the monitors in front of her as their displays flickered back into life.

"Did we miss?" The captain gasped, as normal lighting returned. Suddenly, a loud, panicked voice echoed over the communications.

"**The enemy has broken through into the Geofront!"**

Misato grimaced. "Hurry! Load the second shot!" She ordered.

"Replacing fuses! Initiating recharge!" Hyuga called.

"Barrel cooling in progress!"

"There's another high-energy reaction building inside the target!" Maya called.

"Not now! _Asuka!" _Misato yelled.

* * *

Springing over the top of the mountain it had been cowering behind, Unit Two hefted its palette rifle at the Angel, and squeezed off several quick bursts.

Bright yellow tracer rounds streaked towards the Angel, and its AT Field flickered to life, deflecting the shots with ease. The energy that had been building, initially targeted towards Unit One, instead blossomed to life in the direction of the new attacker.

Asuka's eyes widened as she saw the energy glimmering.

"Motherfu –"

The beam streaked towards the EVA's position, and Unit Two leapt down the back of the mountain as it impacted.

As the crimson behemoth plummeted down, the rock and dirt above it was vaporised, the blast barely missing the EVA's head.

* * *

Swallowing as he watched the Angel obliterate Unit Two's position, Shinji waited for Misato's order.

"Fire, Shinji!"

He depressed the trigger.

As the Angels' beam fizzled out, having reduced the mountain range behind it to nothing more than molten slag, the positron rifle whined – a high-pitched, unhealthy noise.

Suddenly, several transformers and cables behind the sniper emplacement sparked out, dying, and Shinji barely had time to push himself away from the positron rifle as it exploded, sending him sprawling back.

* * *

"What?" Misato spluttered. "No!"

"The coolant systems must have been damaged by the Angel's first attack…" Ritsuko breathed, face pale.

"Orders, captain?" Hyuga called, voice shaking as he turned to face Misato. The captain was silent, staring ahead with a melancholy expression.

"Captain?" He asked, again.

* * *

Staring at the smoking ruins in front of him, Shinji's eyes widened, his mouth drifting open in disbelief.

_What? But how…_

_Now what will we do?_

Unit Zero appeared from his right, its massive shield hefted in front of it.

"Pilot Ikari. We must retreat." Rei's voice came, over the communications.

"But…"

"We must." The other pilot implored.

* * *

"H – High energy reaction detected in the target!" Maya gasped.

"Get those kids out of there!" Misato screamed, rounding on the technicians. "Quickly!"

* * *

As Unit Zero rushed in front of Unit One, shield raised, realisation dawned upon Shinji.

…_There is something I can do._

In the centre of the city, the Angel's energy began to build once again.

"Rei!" Shinji called out, willing Unit One to stagger to its feet. "Rei! Move out of the way!"

"I cannot. My duty is to protect you and Unit One." The albino replied, firmly.

Shinji grimaced, and murmured an apology.

Unit One surged forward, and shoved Unit Zero to the side as the glow from the Angel sparked.

"Rei – stay down, please." The boy murmured.

The giant drew its hands to its sides, and its pilot narrowed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

* * *

"Shinji, what are you doing?" Misato shouted in confusion.

"Captain!" Maya shouted. "Unit One's AT Field! It's shifting!"

"What?" Ritsuko gasped, turning to the technician.

"I'm detecting some kind of energy buildup!" Maya called, narrowing her eyes at the screen.

* * *

A bright orb of blue-white burst to life between Unit One's hands, and immediately expanded, throwing off vibrant blue flares. Swelling to impressive size, it forced the EVA's hands further apart for a moment before it was compressed to a slightly smaller size.

* * *

As the main monitor in NERV's command centre displayed the spectacular image, Gendo Ikari's eyes widened in seldom-seen surprise.

* * *

The Angel's beam burst forward, roaring across the lake towards Units One and Zero.

Unit One pushed its hands forward, and the orb of energy rocketed to meet the attack, accompanied by Shinji's powerful shout.

"_Hadoken!"_

The projectile blasted across the lake, meeting the beam in the middle – both attacks met, and exploded in a plume of bright light, quickly fizzling out into nothingness.

* * *

"What the hell was _that? _Shinji! Shinji, are you listening to me?" Misato shouted, wide eyes locked on the monitors in front of her.

* * *

Shinji stared at the Angel, unblinking.

_Alright…what now?_

Both the EVA and the Angel remained silent, unmoving for several moments. Suddenly, the entire surface of the Angel began to shimmer, and the EVA pilot closed his eyes, before he willed Unit One to draw its hands to its side once more.

_I must focus on nothing but the flow of my ki._

_There is nothing else, except the hado – and my opponent. _

The blue light blossomed again between the EVA's hands – larger and brighter than before.

_I can do this._

All of the Angel's colour seemed to drain – leaving it a dark, shining black, with only the point facing the EVA left. That spot of colour quickly brightened, until it was almost impossible to look at, and around the Angel, the air shimmered with the raw power.

The Angel's beam burst forward, scorching the earth over which it passed, and Shinji opened his eyes, before willing his EVA to release his own attack.

"_Shinkuu Hadoken!" _Shinji bellowed.

A bright blue beam blasted out from Unit One's palms, and streaked across the lake.

The two attacks collided, the water underneath rippling violently from the clash of the two energies. They pushed against each other, giving no ground to the other.

Shinji grit his teeth in effort, and attempted to channel more energy into the beam – easier said than done – but slowly but surely, the Angel's beam began to push his back.

"Asuka! Shinji barked. "Asuka, I could use some help!"

* * *

"On it! Hang on!" The redhead shouted back.

Unit Two vaulted over the remains of its mountainous cover, and began to sprint down the ruined mountainside, each step tearing up earth.

* * *

"Maya! What's going on out there?" Ritsuko asked, leaning in beside the technician.

"Unit One's giving off extraordinary amounts of energy, _sempai." _Maya indicated several readings on her monitor, before continuing. "I think Shinji's the source of it…"

"Whatever's happening, it doesn't look good." Misato murmured, watching as the Angel's beam gained more and more ground, pushing Shinji's back.

* * *

Shaking with effort, Shinji groaned, his entire body aching from the constant flow of _hado._

_I can't keep this up for much longer._

"Asuka…" He gasped.

"Hang on, Shinji!" Asuka pleaded, over the communications.

"I…I can't…"

_I…I won't lose here! _

_I won't let these people die!_

Shinji growled, and for the briefest moment, his eyes pulsed red, flickers of purple beginning to mar the bright blue of his _hadoken._

* * *

Unit Two dashed through the streets of Tokyo-3, ripping up asphalt in its wake, and Asuka willed her _hado _to flow into her legs and right hand.

* * *

White light blossomed between the two beams – and expanded in a flash, before exploding outward. Both beams died in an instant, and Shinji grunted as his EVA was flung up into the air and back from the force of the blast.

He impacted the mountainside behind him at fearsome speeds, and he barely had time to blink before he was rushing up to meet the ceiling of the Entry Plug, his head colliding with the metal as the LCL failed to cushion such a severe impact.

* * *

"Shinji's unconscious! There's blood in his Entry Plug!" Maya yelled. Behind her, Misato ran a shaking hand through her hair.

_What do we do now?_

"Wait – Unit Two – I'm detecting a _massive _buildup of energy in its right arm!" The technician called.

* * *

With one target taken care of, the Angel immediately shifted its attention to another – the crimson titan barrelling down the street to meet it, only a few thousand meters away.

It began to gather energy for another attack – but its previous effort had drained it – and the EVA was drawing closer by the second.

* * *

"Shinji? Shinji!" Asuka shouted, face twisting with fear when she received no reply.

_I've got to help him – but I've got to destroy the Angel first!_

Legs screaming with effort, Asuka yelled as she put on one final burst of speed.

Ahead of her, the Angel's beam flashed out – but it missed, blasting overhead as she willed Unit Two to slide down low, its right hand curled into a fist at its side. Flames blossomed from both the EVA's fist, and hers.

_This is it!_

The EVA lowered itself down as it came beneath the Angel, and then suddenly leapt upward, with such force and power in the jump that the concrete and asphalt beneath were instantly pulverised.

The flames swathing Unit Two's fist flared, bright and powerful, and Asuka willed the EVA to extend the fist to the heavens, right knee drawn up to its waist.

The flaming fist connected with the crystalline surface of the Angel - and the crystal splintered. As the EVA's infernal attack tore upwards through the Angel, Asuka let out a deafening roar, one that had technicians yanking off their headsets in the command centre, wincing.

"_Shoryuken!" _

Unit Two burst out through the top of the Angel, and spiralled into the air above, graceful, ribbons of flame following its right fist.

* * *

"Target is silent!" Hyuga yelled, and everybody in the mobile command centre breathed a sigh of relief – save for Misato.

"We're not out of the woods yet. How's Shinji?" Misato asked, still watching the monitors.

"Still unconscious…" Maya answered.

* * *

"Goddamnit…" Asuka cursed, as Unit Two's hands fumbled with the back of Unit One's neck. "Goddamnit, _how the hell does this thing open_?"

"Pilot Sohryu." Rei's voice echoed in the Entry Plug, as Unit Zero loomed behind its crimson comrade. "I can operate the emergency ejection systems."

"What? Oh – yeah. Do it! Quick!" Unit Two all but pulled Unit Zero towards their unmoving ally, and stepped back. Asuka watched as Unit One's Entry Plug slid out, and swallowed nervously as it was slowly plucked from the EVA, and set gently onto the ground, the LCL draining out around it.

Unit Two crouched down, and the back of its neck opened up, its own Entry Plug emerging. Asuka made her way out via an extendable ladder – all but leaping down the final rungs – and sprinted towards Units One's plug. Behind her, Rei also emerged from Unit Zero, moving down onto the ground slowly and methodically.

Coming up beside it, the redhead scanned the side of the plug for the emergency hatch, and when Asuka saw it, her hands clamped onto the levers, wrenching it open. Behind her, Rei stood, watching silently.

"Shinji!" She yelled, ducking inside the plug. "Shinji…"

Shinji lay unconscious, slumped to one side in his seat. Blood trickled down his face from a large gash on his forehead, and the swelling around it suggested it had been blunt force that caused the injury.

"Shinji!" Asuka gasped, and reached in. Lifting him out of the plug as gently as she could, the redhead set him in a sitting position against it, and glanced at the injury, before reaching back and pulling her hair over her shoulder.

She deftly undid the long red ribbon keeping the ponytail together, and wrapped it around Shinji's head, tying it tightly. Already, the blood was beginning to seep through the impromptu headband, and the redhead cursed under her breath.

Hefting him up into her arms with a grunt, Asuka yelled out for help, desperate.

"Misato! _Misato!"_

* * *

**Glossary**

_-Asuka Langley Sohryu_

_Shoryuken - Rising Dragon Fist/Rising Dragon Punch_

_-Shinji Ikari_

_Hadoken - Surge Fist_

_Shinkuu Hadoken - True Void Surge Fist/Vacuum Surge Fist_

* * *

**I'd be lying if I said this chapter wasn't difficult to write. Well - looks like things are gonna start changing from here on out! Read and review!**


	28. Episode 6 - Surge Fist - Part 3

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

**_NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI_**

* * *

"_Kodama!" _Hikari shrieked, bounding down the fire escape of an office complex sprinkled with red-hot metal and debris. _"Kodama!"_

The main street she leapt towards was in ruins – the Evangelion's final sprint had all but pulverised the road and sidewalks, shattered windows eight stories up , and the Angel's last desperate attack had scorched most of what remained. The young kunoichi's breath came fast as she leapt down to ground level, the steaming ruin of dust and concrete nearly searing the flesh from her feet as soon as she landed.

_Where is she? __**Where the hell is she?**_

Immediately, Hikari made a beeline for one of the many piles of rubble on the sidewalk, and began to dig through it, grunting as she shifted chunks of concrete and glass.

"_Koda –" _Hikari broke off as she choked on dust blown in by the wind, and tugged her mask back up from her neck to cover her mouth. Coughing, she continued to sift through the remains, moving onto another pile to resume her frantic search, all the while screaming her sister's name.

Again and again, she found nothing, save for what remained of one unfortunate soul who hadn't evacuated when he had the chance.

_She's dead. My sister's dead, all because of this – _

To Hikari's right, a smaller pile of rubble began to shift, before an arm burst through. Covered in scrapes and soot, Kodama pulled herself out, her doji dirty and tattered. Immediately, Hikari dashed towards her, wrapping her arms around her sister's waist and hugging her tightly.

"Calm down, you. I'm not dead yet," Kodama grumbled, unable to restrain a small smile nonetheless. HIkari drew back, eyes red with unshed tears. "You shouldn't have gotten that close," she murmured, trying to compose herself again. .

"Maybe…," Kodama replied, producing a camcorder covered with scrapes and cracks, "but it was worth it."

Hikari's eyes widened, and she drew back. "You're telling me this was all for more _video? _We're ninja, not a camera crew! And whatever footage you have isn't worth your life –"

"_Hikari," _Kodama commanded, voice powerful and firm, "this was the mission I was given – the will of the clan."

"The will of whoever's _buying _the clan," Hikari shot back, frustrated, watching as her sister paid her no mind, casually stripping the damaged camera of its memory card and slipping it into a small pouch on her pants, before tossing the empty camera away.

"How can you do this?" Hikari asked, shrugging helplessly. "How can you keep throwing yourself in harm's way and just not _care_? You're my _sister_, not a tool!"

Kodama glanced back at Hikari for a moment, eyes narrowed.

"You don't understand. I don't think you've ever understood," Kodama replied, before turning and heading down the nearby alleyway. "To serve the clan is the greatest honour we can have in our lives. _Honour, _Hikari – something almost non-existent in today's desperate, dying world."

Hikari scoffed, but Kodama went on regardless.

"We respect the traditions of our ancestors, and even though you may not, Nozomi certainly will."

Suddenly, Hikari bristled, refocusing on her sister. "You can't be serious. All of this...," she gestured around, at the burning ruins, the morbid image of her dragging her younger sister out of rubble flashing through her mind, "for Nozomi? No – I won't let that happen."

"What do you mean, _you won't let it happen?_" Kodama grunted, rounding on the younger kunoichi. "Nozomi is a Horaki, and she will do the duty her family sets out for her. Just because you insist on playing the stubborn fool at every chance you get, doesn't mean she will be so obtuse."

"She's my _sister!_" Hikari barked, advancing on Kodama.

"And what about _me_, Hikari? What am I?" Kodama asked, tensing.

"You're –" Hikari paused, her face falling for a moment. "You're…right now, I don't know what you are."

"Right now, I'm your superior," Kodama said, curt. "Now, come. We must return."

Hikari remained silent, unmoving, her gaze lowered in contemplation. Kodama frowned, and stepped forward, clapping her hand on her sister's shoulder.

"We need to _go,_" Kodama grunted, only for Hikari to shrug her hand off a little too roughly. Hikari murmured something, inaudible.

"What was that?" Kodama asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I said – _no,_" Hikari replied, glancing up again with hard eyes. "I'm done with this," she said, before moving past her sister. Immediately, Kodama grabbed Hikari's arm, gaze burning into hers.

"What's gotten into you? There is no _done,"_ Kodama hissed.

"Let me _go_, Kodama," Hikari murmured.

"_No_. We're heading back home, and when we get there, we're going to have a talk with Father –"

Immediately, Hikari grabbed the hand clasped around her bicep, and attempted to twist Kodama into a wristlock. However, her sister was quick to retaliate, and in seconds, she'd reversed the technique, forcing a wincing Hikari onto her knees.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't try that," Kodama growled, moments before she was swept off her feet. Snarling, she looked up at her sister, who began to back away in a defensive stance.

"Fine. If that's what it'll take for you to understand…, " Kodama muttered, before rising. She lowered herself into her stance, glaring across the alleyway at Hikari.

Hikari was the first to move, dashing forwards her sister with a quick series of jabs. Kodama blocked all of the attacks with ease, her quick, deft movements knocking Hikari's arms away and opening up the younger girl's centreline. Before Hikari could move backwards, Kodama brought her leg up high, her heel colliding with Hikari's chin from below.

The younger kunoichi stumbled back, holding her jaw for a moment, but moved back into stance regardless of the dark spots blooming on her mask. She pressed forward again, more careful with her punches. Hikari attempted to surprise Kodama with a feint from right to left, but the more experienced fighter saw through it easily, and again, she was knocked back by a powerful gut kick.

Panting lightly, she looked up at her sister, who regarded her silently. Quickly, she fished through her concealed pouches and pockets, before withdrawing three small capsules. She hurled them towards Kodama, and they exploded on the ground in front of the kunoichi, flooding the alleyway with smoke.

Kodama took a deep, measured breath of clean air before the smoke engulfed her, and closed her eyes.

"How much longer are we going to do this for?"

Her question received no reply, the only sounds around her the groaning of metal and the crackling of small fires in the streets beyond the alley. To her left, there was something – the scrape of gravel against skin, against a foot.

Immediately, Kodama whirled around, her elbow connecting with something hard. She heard her would-be attacker stumble to the ground behind her, groaning.

As the smoke cleared, Kodama watched Hikari stagger to her feet, clutching her head. Her gaze was narrowed with pain and frustration, and as she laid eyes on Kodama again, she produced a _kunai._ Kodama's eye twitched at the audacity of her younger sister.

Holding the small knife with her right hand, in a reverse grip, Hikari charged with a shout, making quick, wild slashes at her sister's arms and chest that were avoided easily. She brought the blade above her head, slashing downwards, but Kodama's right hand clasped her forearm, stopping the attack.

Before Hikari could twist out of the grip, Kodama pressed her fist to the ribs underneath her sister's arm, and lit her fist with bright blue ki.

"Wait," Hikari spluttered, "Don't –"

"_Raida!" _Kodama bellowed.

The ki exploded outwards in a powerful, bright burst, blowing Hikari back several feet and onto the ground, leaving her in a groaning, crumpled heap. She looked upwards, through the haze of pain, and watched as Kodama stood above her, victorious.

She managed a weak surrender, holding one hand up, voice weak.

"K-Koda –"

Kodama wasted no time in knocking her defeated sister unconscious with a brutal, messy hook.

* * *

"Get a medical kit," Misato bellowed, making a beeline for the door of the mobile command centre, "and contact the emergency teams!"

Maya plucked a sizable first aid box from beneath one of the terminals, and followed the Captain out into the night. As the two dashed across grass and dirt, they could barely make out spots of colour moving down the hillside some ways away from them. The vibrant reds and whites could only be the pilots.

"Asuka! Rei!" Misato shouted, and watched as the pilots stopped for a moment, before they began to dash towards her. Behind her, Maya almost stumbled, the uneven ground and the weight of the medical kit threatening to trip her up.

"Misato!" Asuka shouted, holding the unconscious Shinji in her arms. "He's hurt!"

"Lay him down! Quickly!" Misato called, motioning for Maya to come closer as Asuka set down Shinji gently on the grass in front of her.

Kneeling down, Maya opened the kit as Asuka knelt behind Shinji, bringing his head up to rest on her knees as Misato looked him over, her eyes quickly catching the red ribbon tied around his head. Slowly, she undid the ribbon's knot, and pulled it away, wincing at the ugly cut and bruising that it had covered.

"Shit," Misato murmured, before motioning for Maya to pass her a clean white cloth. "Need to apply pressure…," Misato grunted, pressing the cloth firmly to the wound, watching as the pure white stained deep red alarmingly quickly. Shinji winced slightly at the pressure, and Asuka's eyes shone with concern, as she looked from him to Misato and back.

"So...," Misato began, eyes still on Shinji, "Are we going to talk about…whatever the hell that just was?" She indicated Asuka's right hand, the crimson glove of the plugsuit scorched and blackened.

Asuka flinched slightly, glancing at Misato. "Oh. I…I'd prefer to talk about it when Shinji's awake," she murmured.

"Well, it's not a matter of preference – I doubt you'll be given a choice," Misato replied, looking up at the redhead, who looked down at Shinji again, thoughtful.

"And I think," Misato continued, "that you'd prefer talking to me as opposed to someone like the Commander." Asuka nodded slowly, sighing.

_She's not wrong there._

"Alright. What do you want to know?" Asuka asked, watching as Misato searched for any more injuries on the unconscious Shinji, silently ordering Maya to hold the cloth in place as she did.

"Whatever you can tell me," Misato replied.

Asuka nodded, mulling her words over for a moment. "It was our _sensei_ – our guardian, the man you picked us up from –"

Any further words were drowned out by the roar of engines as several transports suddenly wheeled out of the darkness, their headlights blinding. Squinting, Misato stood up as personnel began to file out of them.

"One of the pilots is injured," She called out. "Possible head trauma!"

From one of the APCs, a stretcher was produced, Asuka and Maya stepping back to let medics lift Shinji onto it. Asuka looked over at the closest APC, where Misato was.

The Captain seemed to be arguing with one of the soldiers, but Asuka couldn't tell what they were talking about. Suddenly, the redhead was surrounded by a ring of soldiers, barking orders at her. Taken aback, she glanced helplessly at Misato, who only returned her expression.

Someone seized her from behind, and Asuka nearly threw the man over her shoulder before she remembered she was under arrest.

_And I don't think beating on these guys will do me any favours, either._

Letting them force her onto her knees, Asuka grimaced as her hands were wrenched behind her back, the unmistakable _click _of handcuffs securing them. As she was pulled back up onto her feet, the last Asuka saw of Shinji before she was led away was the sight of him being fawned over by five medics, her red ribbon clasped in his hand.

* * *

Hikari tried to sit up in bed, and immediately regretted it – her whole body seemed to protest at the action, every muscle aching. She groaned, and flopped back, her throbbing head sinking into the pillow.

_What happened? I can barely remember…_

Slowly, she tried to move onto her side, to get a better view of the room – hers, she noticed. She then also noticed Kodama, sitting across from the bed with a dark expression on her face.

_Oh, yeah. That._

Kodama was still mostly dressed in her ninja doji – but her mask and bandana had been removed, and her top hung open, exposing the black undershirt beneath.

"Nice to see you're up so soon," Kodama said, stiffly, as she stalked over to the bed. Hikari fought the urge to shrink away from her irate, _frightening _sister, watching as she knelt at her bedside.

"I told Father how you fell," Kodama began.

_Fell?_

Kodama must have been able to sense Hikari's confusion, because she continued. "From the fire escape. When the Evangelion destroyed the Angel, the force of the blast threw you from your perch. You could have landed worse, but you'll still be out of action for a few days."

Hikari looked at her sister, stunned. "…I…I don't get it. Why would you –"

Kodama quickly cut her off. "Because you're my _sister_. And as angry as I am at you, I have to believe that there's some way I can get through to you. And I'm willing to cover for you, to give you second chances, whatever – as long as I can see the day you take your place alongside me."

Kodama stood up, and began to head before the door, leaving a somewhat remorseful Hikari to ruminate her words. However, the older Horaki paused at the door, before turning.

"But –"

Hikari glanced up at her sister again.

"If you ever attack me like that again, I'll make sure you regret it. Are we clear?" Kodama warned.

"Crystal," Hikari murmured.

Kodama slid Hikari's bedroom door open, and stepped outside.

"Wait…" Hikari called out, and Kodama groaned, before looking back through the doorway.

"What now?"

"What did you do with the footage?" Hikari asked, curious.

"Father received orders to distribute it publicly as soon as possible, however possible. So I posted it online."

* * *

**Glossary**

_-Kodama Horaki_

_Raida - Thunder Strike_

* * *

**And I'm actually back, after months on inactivity. It feels so good to actually finish and put out a chapter again. And I can safely say - after this episode, things will start to kick into high gear. So, look forward to it!**


	29. Interlude 06 - Noodles and Ink

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

**_NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI_**

* * *

Still panting lightly from an intense training session, Gouken sat down in his study, and reached for the bowl of noodles Senzo had prepared as a post-workout meal.

_It's been a while since I had the time to truly test my limits. With the children away now…_

Gouken paused halfway in lifting noodles to his mouth, his expression falling for a moment. He jabbed his chopsticks back into his noodles, sighing, and reached for the remote control to the tiny television on the table in front of him. He stabbed the power button with his thumb, watching as the image of a heavily made up female newscaster burst across the screen.

He resumed eating, eyes flicking between the television and his meal. The newscaster droned on about some video proving extremely popular online, but Gouken paid it no mind – the Internet never held much interest for him anyway.

Out of curiosity, however, he glanced at the television again as they played the clip back. The newscaster spoke over the clip, the word 'Tokyo-3' drawing his attention.

On screen, what appeared to be some kind of red robot ran throughout a midnight city street, before leaping up, fist held high above its head, flames trailing from its fist –

Half-eaten noodles fell back into the bowl as Gouken's jaw dropped.

* * *

Halfway across the dojo, Senzo relished the silence, the lack of any human, manmade noises, with only the sounds of nature to accompany him. With slow, controlled movements, his brush painted a character in rich black ink across white parchment.

He had never excelled at the martial arts, but he took pride in his calligraphy skills, even going so far as to teach Gouken and his brother when they were younger.

Suddenly, there was a loud, shocked shout, and Senzo's brush slashed across the page, ruining the character with a large, harsh streak of black. He murmured inaudible, inarticulate sounds of the highest calibre of fury, before standing up and padding out of his room.

"Is something wrong? Are you alright?" He called out to Gouken.

Seconds later, Gouken burst out from his study, a dark expression on his face. Senzo stepped to the side as the Ansatsuken master stomped to his own room, a stray noodle hanging from his beard.

Bemused, Senzo spoke up again.

"Gouken?"

"Senzo," Gouken replied, "pack a bag."

"Are we going somewhere?" The housekeeper asked, quizzical.

"Yes," the master replied.

"Where, then?"

"Tokyo-3."

* * *

**Ohboy. Here we go.**


	30. Episode 6 - Surge Fist - Part 4

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

**_NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI_**

* * *

_Now._

* * *

"And?" Gendo asked.

"And then you had me thrown in that cell," Asuka grunted. "Must have been in there for twelve hours, at least…"

"Pilot," The Commander said, sharp, "Stay on topic."

Asuka sighed. "You asked about the angel. How I destroyed it. I _told _you!" She groaned, looking between Gendo and Fuyutsuki. "Well? What now?" She shouted, exasperated at their silence.

"You've still elected to omit _how _you came about such power," Gendo said, finally, "And until then, we cannot –"

Three knocks sounded from the doors at the rear of the room, and the Commander quieted, the barest hint of a frown on his face. "Come," he called, and Asuka turned, watching as Dan poked his head into the room.

"Sir. It's Captain Katsuragi, she wants to see you," the man called, expression strangely serious.

"See her in," Gendo replied. Dan opened the door wider, and stepped to the side as Misato strode through, stepping into the shadowy office.

As the door closed behind Misato, Asuka spoke again, frustrated, but still grateful to see her guardian. "Misato," Asuka breathed, "You've got to help me out here! They won't let me go, or see Shinji –"

"What is the status of the Third Child, Captain?" Gendo inquired, casually. Misato's expression was implacable, stoic, but her gaze lingered on Asuka as she spoke.

"He's suffering from a concussion, but MRIs show no sign of brain damage. He got off lucky." She reported, voice clipped.

"Very well," Gendo replied. "How soon before he can be discharged?"

"In one, maybe two days. Provided he wakes up," the Captain grunted.

Asuka opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat as she took Misato in; the bags under her eyes and slightly slouched posture indicated the Captain was just as worn out as she was. She remained silent, staring ahead at the Commander.

"Will that be all?" Misato asked, and Gendo remained silent, seeming to think for a moment.

"That will be all, Captain. Notify us whenever the Third Child wakes up," he said.

Misato turned around, beginning to move towards the door, whenever a shout rang out.

"_You!" _Dan roared, from the other side of the door, "What the _hell_ are you doing – _stay back_!"

Misato narrowed her eyes, her hand slipping inside her jacket and resting on the grip of her holstered sidearm. Asuka watched the door, apprehension clear on her face, whilst both the Commander and Vice Commander remained stoic.

From behind the door, several crashes resounded, along with grunts and shouts. As the sounds of the struggle echoed from behind the door, Misato thumbed off the safety of her gun.

The doors shook as something slammed into them, the lock holding and keeping whatever had collided with it at bay. Then, a shout went out, one that had Asuka's eyes widening at the familiar voice.

"_Denjin Hadoken!"_

The doors exploded off their hinges, splinters flying as Dan was blasted into the office with a cry of pain.

He landed a few feet away from Asuka and Misato, face bruised, witching and steaming as his body crackled with static.

Gouken strode into the office, clad in a dark suit and tie. His jacket was open, and his hair was slightly mussed, but there was no bruising, or any injury to suggest he'd just gotten into a fight.

"Gouken-sensei!" Asuka gasped.

Misato's eyes widened slightly, her hand falling away from her holster, but only just.

Behind his folded hands, Gendo smirked.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Gouken," he spoke calmly, as if his head of security hadn't just been blasted through his office doors like nothing.

"Spare me, Ikari," Gouken hissed, his fists crackling with yellow electricity, "I've come for them."

"Them?" Gendo asked, seemingly oblivious.

"The children," Gouken growled, fury plain on his face. "I've seen what you've done – forcing them inside those _machines_, making them fight for you."

"The children are absolutely invaluable to the continued survival of humanity. Surely you can understand –"

Gouken interrupted the Commander again, stepping over Dan's beaten form. "I understand full well what you're doing here," he grunted. "And I've come to take them back."

"W-wait, sensei!" Asuka spluttered, reaching out lamely as Gouken moved past her. Misato blinked, grasping her weapon again and drawing it as Gouken approached the desk.

Suddenly, something leapt out from its hiding spot in the shadows of the office, and Gouken whirled around, blocking a kick aimed at his head and stepping back.

Rei stood between him and the Commander, in a fighting stance. Gouken looked her over, slipping into his own stance.

_This girl – she's using Hibiki's joke of a style. But this power, this strength I feel – what is it?_

"You will _not _harm the Commander," Rei murmured, her voice carrying the faintest hint of venom, red eyes glinting in the faint light.

"I do not wish to hurt you," Gouken replied, slowly, "But I will have the children."

"You cannot," came the simple reply, and Rei leapt forward.

Gouken's initial analysis had been correct; she had obviously been trained by Dan, but somehow, she was managing to make his fighting style _work_. She obviously lacked the years of experience he had, but she was fast, and deceptively strong, as Gouken found out when he blocked a hook, feeling the wind from the force of the attack across his face.

_I don't want to hurt this girl…but she may very well take advantage if I extend too much mercy. I must defeat her, and quickly._

Gouken and Rei exchanged quick jabs and kicks with one another, attempting to figure each other out. It was Rei who made the first, real move, leaping forward with a flying side kick that was easily avoided. Gouken managed to deliver two quick strikes to the girl's side, aiming to cause more pain than injury.

If Rei felt the attacks, she gave no indication, stepping back with the force of the blows and lashing out with a spinning heel kick. Gouken dashed underneath the kick, and parried the jabs and hooks that followed as he moved inside Rei's reach. The girl attempted an uppercut – Gouken slammed his forearm down on the inside of her elbow as her fist came up, stopping the attack dead, and let out a kiai as he delivered a palm strike to the centre of her chest with his free hand.

Rei stumbled back, and Gouken took the advantage, dashing forward and leaping up, his fist colliding with the girl's jaw as he jumped.

"_Shoryuken!"_

The attack lifted Rei off her feet, but before Gouken had landed, she had already kipped up, moving forward again. She attempted her own pastiche of the move, the Ansatsuken master barely managing to avoid it, the pale fist barely brushing his cheek as the girl travelled into the air.

"_Koryuken."_

As Rei landed, recovering from the move, Gouken leapt forward, spinning, leg extended.

"_Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku!" _He shouted, his heel connecting with the girl's face once, twice, before she fell to the ground. A second later, she was already on her feet again, despite the bruises that were blooming on her pale skin. Gouken grimaced as he moved back into his stance, meeting Rei's steely gaze.

_What will it take to bring this girl down?_

Misato and Asuka watched the fight, awed at both the fighter's skills, and at Rei's perseverance. Misato let out a gasp as Gouken unleashed a _Hadoken, _the bright blue light from the attack filling the office as the energy streamed towards Rei.

The girl threw one palm forward, a small orb of shining gold in her hand.

"_Gadoken."_

The golden ki travelled only a few feet before it met the blue, a rush of air and blinding light flaring as the two energies met. Misato held an arm in front of her eyes, wincing, but Asuka kept watching, as the fight went on.

Both Gendo and Fuyutsuki remained still, unmoved – but the older man failed to hide the concern that flashed across his face every time Rei received a hit.

Again and again, the girl was sent to the floor, clearly outmatched by Gouken, but she would nearly always rise within moments, despite her injuries. Gouken grimaced as he watched blood trickle from the girl's mouth and nose, and felt that same blood wet on his knuckles.

_Fall, you fool! I don't want to do this!_

Finally, after Rei had recovered from a second Shoryuken, Gouken sighed, stepping back and dropping his hands.

"I concede," the master murmured, hands held up in surrender. Misato was suddenly reminded of the fact that while she knew full well that Gouken only had the safety of his charges in mind, he was an intruder, and he had threatened to attack her commanding officer. She levelled her gun at him, stepping behind him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rei dropped her own stance, and let out a breath. She slouched, but only just, her back still straight.

"As I was going to say," Gendo began, "I was planning on contacting you, but wanted to discuss the finer details with Asuka first."

The redhead snorted, rolling her eyes as Gouken stood beside her.

"For what purpose?" He asked, still somewhat on edge.

"Shinji and Asuka have both proven invaluable in protecting this city, and all of humanity from extinction. Their abilities are crucial to that cause, and we would simply ask that you continue to teach them."

Gouken frowned.

"And," Gendo continued, "that you take Rei as your student as well."

The albino in question stood just to the side of Gendo as he went on, like a bodyguard.

"She has had previous experience in the martial arts, although I am unsure about the _quality," _he glanced down at the still unconscious Dan pointedly, "of the training she received."

Gouken remained silent, contemplative, until Asuka spoke, voice quiet.

"Sensei – those things would have killed everyone in the city if it hadn't been for you, what you taught us. I know it doesn't feel right, but…" Asuka looked at the two men behind the desk, and then at Misato, before looking back at her teacher, "but it needs to happen."

Gendo watched the exchange, expectant gaze hidden behind his tinted glasses. Finally, Gouken let out a sigh, shoulders slumping, before he nodded. "Very well. But I want to see Shinji. I want to make sure he's alright."

"Of course," Gendo replied. "NERV will prepare accommodation for you, so you can be close to the children."

"Accommodation for two, actually." Gouken murmured. Asuka raised one eyebrow, staring at her master curiously. Gouken glanced at her, and shrugged. "I brought Senzo."

"Why'd you bring _Senzo?_" Asuka murmured, disbelieving. "What was he going to do?"

Gouken suddenly seemed uncharacteristically sheepish, glancing away for a moment.

"He was…going to drive the getaway car."

Asuka snorted quietly. "You mean the _truck?_"

"He's a good driver," Gouken retorted.

"You wanted to pick us up and then hightail it out of here in the _old truck_?" Asuka murmured, disbelieving.

"I didn't have a lot of time to plan. And…I was a little angry," Gouken supplied.

As master and student sniped at one another, the mood of the office lightened. Misato holstered her weapon again, and let out a breath.

_This job is nuts._

Misato stepped beside Asuka and Gouken, coughing lightly and pulling them out of the conversation.

"I can take you to see Shinji now," she offered, and Gouken straightened up again, nodding stiffly.

"Yes. Thank you," the master replied, still trying to banish the last remnants of mirth from his voice.

"Rei," Gendo murmured, catching the attention of the albino, "Go with them. Have your injuries tended to."

"Yes, Commander." Rei replied, tone tired, but as neutral as possible.

As the trio of Asuka, Gouken and Misato stepped out of the office, Rei followed them, footsteps silent. Fuyutsuki glanced down at Gendo, raising one eyebrow.

"What now?" He asked.

"Now, we wait. Let him teach the children. With his power at our command, the Angels will pose far less of a threat," Gendo replied.

"As far as we know," Fuyutsuki murmured. "The scrolls did predict many more messengers."

"If and when they do pose a threat – we will deal with them," Gendo replied.

Still sprawled out across the floor, Dan let out a painful groan.

"And you," Gendo said, as he glanced down at the injured man.

"You're fired."

* * *

**Glossary**

**-**_Gouken_

_Hadoken - Surge Fist_

_Tatsumaki Senpu-kyaku - Tornado Hurricane Leg/Kick_

_Shoryuken - Rising Dragon Punch/Fist_

_Denjin Hadoken - Electric Blade Surge Fist_

_-Rei Ayanami_

_Gadoken - Self Way Fist_

_Koryuken - Dazzling Dragon Fist_

* * *

**Phew! And that's the first real 'arc' out of the way. Let's hope I've managed to keep you entertained until now, despite my awful update schedule. This is where it all begins, people! Read and review!**


	31. Episode 7 - Red Cyclone - Part 1

Within the darkness of his office, Gendo Ikari held a phone to his ear, fingers brushing over a multitude of photographs strewn across his desk.

"It seems I owe you, once again..." Gendo murmured, fingering a particular photo which depicted a large, humanoid robot.

"But you won't repay me, right?" The voice on the other end of the phone chuckled, before continuing. "Speaking of which, regarding the material that was demanded under the Freedom of Information Act, I handled it by giving them some falsified data. The government is proceeding with legal action, but that will be blocked any day now. Speaking of, should I do something about that other project?"

"No," Gendo replied, idly studying the silhouette of the photographed mech. Its torso was top-heavy, tapering down into a thinner waist, and its joints and limbs appeared to be heavily reinforced. "Judging by what you've sent me, no further action is required."

"Then I'll proceed with the plan…by the way, am I to assume I'm being brought in as more than 'Special Inspector' this time?" The voice inquired.

"You possess specialist knowledge and skills that seldom few do. If any further complications are to arise, I will need someone who can make decisions based on experience and understanding," Gendo replied.

"Phenomenon such as this isn't unheard of – but at their age, and at _that _scale…it's something to behold, isn't it?"

"I trust you're aware that you won't be coming in with the UN fleet?" Gendo asked, letting the other man's question remain unanswered.

"Actually, I only found out a few hours ago. Isn't air travel a little riskier than the alternative?"

"I trust you to conduct yourself with the necessary discretion," Gendo said.

"Of course. I suppose I'll be seeing you soon enough, then."

* * *

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

**_NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI_**

* * *

The first thing Misato was immediately aware of was the warm, soft mass draped across her stomach. Pen-Pen's heartbeat was slow and steady as he slept, the penguin's breath a gentle wind across her exposed stomach.

She opened her eyes the tiniest fraction – the digital clock across from her futon read 6:30 AM. Allowing herself a small smile, she closed her eyes, idly scratching the back of Pen-Pen's head.

_Still got an hour or so. _

Within seconds, Misato was already drifting back to sleep, warm and comfortable –

"_Hai!" _

Misato's eyes snapped open again at the loud cry echoing from the next apartment over, and she sighed in exasperation.

_Please, just let me have Monday morning. _

The captain desperately sought slumber again, nuzzling her face into her pillow.

"_Hadoken!"_

If the shouts didn't wake her, the sounds of heavy, reinforced training dummies being blown back against the wall beside her did. Misato shot up in bed, a furious nose clawing out of her throat, her eyes murderous.

* * *

"You're not compressing your _ki_ before you throw it, Asuka," Gouken berated, voice powerful. "Again!"

"Yes, _sensei…," _Asuka grumbled, bringing her hands to her sides and summoning another flaring orb of _ki. _Her ponytail, now secured with her red A10 clips, was blown back as she sent another blast at the her, Shinji tightened his red headband – formerly Asuka's - before he went through the motions of the _Hadoken _effortlessly – summoning the ki between his hands, forcibly compacting it into a slightly smaller sphere, and then firing it across the room. The projectile collided with a NERV-issue training dummy, and sent it crashing back into the wall of the expansive room.

Behind the two children, Rei, alabaster skin and pale blue hair stark against her black sleeveless gi and red gloves, went through basic Ansatsuken forms, making no sound save for the occasional intake of breath.

The dojo the group practiced in was, in truth, two apartments made into one. A NERV construction crew had, with great financial encouragement, been able to knock down walls, replace flooring with smooth wood, and install state-of-the-art training equipment, all in the space of a day.

Gouken had to admit, that despite the extraordinary circumstances, the surroundings of a dojo were considerable comfort to him. In the several weeks he had spent without Asuka and Shinji, he found himself feeling inexplicably lost, without direction or purpose. Even his own personal training had begun to suffer – but now, with his school restored to him, he felt at ease.

And now, he had a new student to attend to.

Gouken turned his attention to Rei, watching as the girl moved through her final kata of the morning. Her dark gi hung off her lithe form, sweat plastering her light blue hair to her forehead, and despite having only been his student for little more than a week, her form was perfect.

_Dan may have been a mockery of a teacher, but evidently, he was able to nurture Rei's talent to a considerable degree. What little he learned of hado from me, he passed onto her – I can only guess at how well she will take to the true techniques when I teach them to her._

"Alright, Rei – that's enough for now," Gouken commanded, watching as the girl dropped her stance, standing straight and staring at him. "Move onto your stretches."

"Yes," the girl intoned quietly, dropping to her knees and extending one leg in front of her to stretch her hamstring. Gouken frowned, imperceptibly.

_But she lacks initiative. She needs to be explicitly told what to do, and when to do it. She can master concepts and techniques with little to no effort, but without an explicit objective, she cannot improve beyond that._

_I may need to move her onto sparring with Asuka and Shinji sooner than expected. Perhaps that will simulate her competitive nature. _

_That is, if she even possesses such a thing._

Abruptly, the doorbell rang out, and Gouken padded across the expanse of the training room to answer it. The door slid back, revealing a dishevelled and displeased Misato, who glared at Gouken with a hatred seldom seen in mortal men.

"Ah, Captain Katsuragi. Good morning," Gouken greeted her, warmly. "I trust you slept well?"

Misato stared at Gouken for several moments, perhaps contemplating on how best to remove his spine, before she nodded, grunting. Gouken turned back to his students, calling out to them.

"Right, everyone – that's enough for now. Go get ready for school!"

All three children responded with "Yes, _sensei_," bowing to him in unison and filing out beside Misato. As the door slid shut behind them, the pleasant expression on Gouken's face hardened slightly, as his attention returned to the woman in front of him.

"Now," he began, "is there something I can do for you, Captain?" Gouken asked.

"Only that you throw your hadou-kans –"

"_Hadokens,"_ Gouken corrected.

" – _Hadokens_ at the opposite wall, if it wouldn't be too much trouble?" Misato asked.

A ghost of an amused smirk passed over Gouken's face, before he nodded, slowly. "I'm sure we can do that. I'd hate for your pet to lose some sleep."

Misato's left eye twitched, but she remained silent, nodding in response. She turned towards the door, before she remembered something, and faced Gouken again.

"If you need to talk to me, I'll be at the high school from eleven AM to two PM. You can get me on my cellphone."

"I'm afraid I haven't bought a mobile phone yet," Gouken replied, before furrowing his brow. "May I ask why you are attending?"

"…It's the parent-teacher interviews today. I was planning to go on behalf of Shinji and Asuka," Misato replied.

Gouken frowned for a moment, thinking. "Then would you mind at all if I accompanied you?" He asked.

"…Not at all," Misato replied, slowly.

* * *

"Toast!" Asuka called, plucking two crisped slices of bread out of the toaster and sliding them across Misato's kitchen counter. Shinji was ready and waiting to receive them, catching them deftly on a plate as soon as they slid off the far end. Quickly buttering the two slices, he shoved one into his mouth, and sent the other sliding back across to Asuka.

Behind them, Rei chewed a demure breakfast of tofu eggs, eyes following the nonstop flurry of movement in front of her. Her muscles ached from the rigours of the morning's training, but it wasn't entirely discomforting.

_This feeling…is it accomplishment? _

_In only a week I have progressed far beyond what Hibiki-sensei taught me over several months. But is it because of Gouken-sensei's training, or because of my…friends?_

_I think friends is the word, yes._

Rei's lips curved upward in the most minute, unnoticeable smile as she speared another clump of eggs with her fork.

_But I must make sure. Perhaps I will inquire._

The door to the apartment slid open, and Misato walked in, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and making a beeline for her room. Shinji grabbed a plate of food he'd prepared minutes before, and reached out to Misato with it.

"Breakfast," he said, with a smile on his face.

Misato took the plate with a grunt, before moving over to the fridge and retrieving an ice-cold can of Yebisu beer. With her spoils in hand, she disappeared back into her room, leaving a bemused Shinji in her wake.

"…Is something up with Misato?" Shinji asked, turning back to Asuka.

"Dunno," the redhead replied, wolfing down the last of her breakfast. "Dibs on the shower."

"Wait a second, you had dibs yesterday!" Shinji spluttered.

"And now I have it today. Gotta think ahead, baka! Gotta stay on top," Asuka grinned, vaulting over the kitchen counter, drawing an alarmed squawk from Pen-Pen as she landed only a few centimetres away from him. As the redhead disappeared into the bathroom, Shinji stared after her, before sighing. He took the remainder of his own breakfast, and sat down across from Rei, eating quietly.

"Ikari?"

Shinji looked up from his breakfast, a clump of scrambled eggs still hanging from his mouth. He blinked, and then quickly shoved it back in, before swallowing. "Yes, Rei?"

"I am curious – do you consider me a friend?"

Shinji raised an eyebrow at the albino's question, but nodded quickly nonetheless.

"Yeah."

"Why?" Rei inquired.

"Because," Shinji said, "We…we trust you. We train together, we pilot EVA together, we help each other. How can we not be friends?"

Rei nodded, and resumed eating, in satisfied silence.

* * *

An hour later, the trio made their way down the corridor towards Class 2-A. Rei walked ahead of the two, unflinching, but both Asuka and Shinji were hesitant, lingering several steps behind the albino. It was their first day back since the attack of the last Angel, pieces of its shattered form having only been cleared away from the campus and surrounding roads.

"Those clips were all over the internet," Shinji began, glancing at Asuka. "We might be getting more attention than usual…"

"I kind of figured that," Asuka replied with a sigh, "but it can't be that bad. We can deal with it, no sweat."

"I hope so…" Shinji murmured.

Ahead of them, Rei slid open the classroom door, the sounds of activity and chatter silencing as she stepped inside. Shinji and Asuka exchanged wary glances, before they stepped in behind her.

"**Shoryuken!"**

The shout was so loud, so sudden, that Asuka let out an audible squawk, jumping back in surprise and bumping into Shinji, who had raised his hands in instinctive defence.

All of their classmates were standing up in their seats, their fists raised to the heavens in a poor copy of the _Shoryuken. _Most if not all of them wore wide grins on their faces, and Asuka and Shinji watched as Toji climbed down from his seat, before dashing over to them.

He grasped Shinji's right wrist and Asuka's left, and brought them up over his head. The two fighters exchanged bemused stares.

"Let's hear it for the _heroes _of Tokyo-3!" Toji bellowed, and the class broke out into a wave of applause and shouts. Toji released Asuka and Shinji, and turned to face them, grabbing their shoulders firmly.

"You guys were _amazing_ out there!" He enthused, his smile wide. "You have to tell me what the hell NERV's feeding you! Where did you even learn how to do things like that?"

"Uh…" Shinji had the expression of a deer in headlights. "Our _sensei?" _

Asuka glared at Shinji, to berate him for dragging Gouken into this, but suddenly, she was faced with a dark-skinned, brown-eyed teen, with dark hair shorn down at the sides, the top styled into short dreadlocks.

"And you are?" Asuka sighed.

"Sean Matsuda! Of Matsuda Jiu-Jitsu!" The boy chirped, and immediately sank to his knees, prostrating himself in a low bow. "Please, take me as your student, Sohryu-_sensei_!"

"Sohryu-_sensei?" _Shinji echoed, dubious. Asuka glared at him again, and Shinji shrugged. The redhead turned back to Sean, and struggled to find the right words.

"Look, er…Sean? I'm hardly a master, I'm still a student. And I don't think I can teach you my style, at least not –"

"Not to an unworthy student? Of course! I'll prove myself at once!" Sean rose to his feet, and grabbed Toji roughly by the shoulder.

"You!" Sean barked. "Let's go!"

"Wha –" Toji barely had time to speak before Sean's fist came at his face. Barely dodging the strike, Toji kicked out, striking Sean in the stomach and sending him backwards. Toji let out a yell as he charged forward, catching Sean around the waist and tackling him to the ground.

Asuka groaned, running a hand over her face in exasperation. She and Shinji exchanged looks, before shrugging in unison and moving over to their seats, sitting down and watching as Hikari desperately tried to break up the brawl at the front of the classroom, struggling to be heard over the din of the other student's cheers.

"I should have just let the Angel roast me…" Asuka murmured, watching as a snarling Toji was caught from behind by Sean's chokehold.

* * *

**If there's one thing I've learned, it's that I can't keep deadlines, especially ones that I set for myself. Anyway, onto a new Episode! Please read and review!**


	32. Interlude 07 - Fever

_Evangelion is property of Studio Khara and GAINAX._

_Street Fighter and Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist are property of CAPCOM._

* * *

**_NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: SENSHI NO MICHI_**

* * *

_One week earlier_

* * *

Shinji's world was a mess of blurred lights and muffled sounds – he struggled to make words out through the dull haze of pain, and his eyes refused to open. He couldn't find the strength to move, his muscles lethargic and his arms aching from the strain of having channelled so much _hado. _He felt something in his hand, soft, like a thin slip of cloth.

He was vaguely aware that he was being carried, on some kind of bed or stretcher. His world jolted violently for a moment, and his hearing was suddenly clear for a few brief moments.

"-watch the road, damnit –"

"-one klik out from the hospital-"

"-possible concussion-"

Already, he was falling back into unconscious oblivion. Unable to resist, Shinji slipped back into blackness, only aware of the narrow scrap of cloth clenched in his fist.

* * *

Shinji awoke again, this time to an unfamiliar ceiling – the uniformed white tiling of the NERV hospital. He craned his head to glance out the window, watching the vivid orange sky of the Geofront's artificial sunset.

"Hello?" Shinji called out, voice weak. He glanced down at his bedside table, and found a button that would signal a nurse. He pressed it once, and waited for someone to come. When no one did, he pressed it again, and again, until he finally gave up, collapsing back against his bed with a sigh.

Looking towards the door, Shinji slowly sat up in bed again, before slowly pulling the bedsheets off himself. He swung his legs over the side of the hospital bed, and set his feet on the floor. He walked towards the door, clad in a hospital gown, and reached out, sliding the door back.

He was suddenly buffeted by a powerful wind, and he winced, holding an arm in front of his eyes as he staggered out, blindly feeling for a wall or railing. The grass was wet and dewy underneath his bare feet.

_Wait. Grass?_

Shinji dropped the arm from his eyes, and looked down. He was outside, but not in the Geofront, instead on the bank of a wide river. He was wearing his gi and gloves, and he felt the cloth of his headband tied tight around his head.

Shinji glanced behind himself, looking back at an expansive, dense forest.

_This is the river. This is where I used to train with Asuka, every morning…_

Shinji inhaled, breathing in the warm, humid air. He closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the sun and the comfortable familiarity of the river, but a small voice at the back of his mind whispered that something was inherently _wrong_. He strained to see anything out of the ordinary, failing to hear anything abnormal. He then realised that was what was bothering him. Shinji couldn't hear _anything_.

There was no birdsong, or rustling of leaves, or even the whisper of the water – the river was abnormally still and undisturbed. Shinji walked over to the water, feeling a chill creep up his spine. Kneeling on the edge of the river bank, he gazed into the water, his reflection staring back at him.

He blinked.

Suddenly, the reflection was warped – vivid red eyes and hair, sharp teeth and dark skin – and Shinji scrambled back in shock, falling onto his rear on the grass, which crumpled and cracked underneath him. He stood again, and looked around at a field of dead, dry grass, any trace of green swallowed up by all-encompassing brown. Shinji looked back at the forest again, only to find bare, bent skeletons of oak.

Someone gasped, and Shinji whirled around, looking for the source of the noise. His eyes fell upon Hikari, in a dusky yellow plugsuit, and atop her, with his hands around her neck, Shinji's own twisted reflection, strangling the life from her.

Shinji's eyes widened, and he dashed towards the two, reaching out, but the faster he ran, the greater the distance between him and them grew. Hikari thrashed in the grass, pulling weakly at her attacker's arms.

"Stop!" Shinji screamed, pulling his hands to his sides and summoning a _Hadoken. _He threw the blast of _ki _with all his might, but it broke harmlessly over his doppelganger like smoke. Shinji fell to his knees, watching in horror.

Among the silence of nature, the resounding _snap _of Hikari's neck was deafening.

Shinji fell onto his back, defeated, and looked up at the blood-red sky, rigid with shock. He heard the _crunch _of dead grass beside him, and watched as a tall, wide figure, shadowed by the sun, stood above him.

"No," Shinji rasped, barely able to hear himself over a low, unending tinnitus.

Red eyes peered down at him, and Shinji struggled to move away, desperate to escape their gaze.

"Stop," he gasped.

A massive hand reached out, inching closer and closer –

* * *

"_Stop!" _Shinji screamed, and Asuka pulled her hand back, eyes wide as she watched Shinji sit up in bed with a start.

"Shinji! What's wrong?" The redhead said, watching with concern as Shinji looked around frantically, breathing fast.

"What?" Shinji murmured, blinking and trying to calm himself. "I – I don't…bad dream."

As the haze of the vivid nightmare retreated, Shinji looked Asuka over, looking at her scorched, damaged plugsuit, and her hair, matted with LCL and falling loose over her shoulders. He was suddenly aware of the intense ache above his left eye, and he collapsed back against his pillow. Shinji buried his face in his hands, struggling to piece together the events of the battle with the Angel.

"What happened?" Shinji gasped. "Did we - did we win?"

"We're still here, aren't we?" Asuka replied, smug. "I finished it off. You were knocked out, your head was cracked open. I patched you up and got you to Misato..."

Shinji glanced down at his bedside table, and grabbed the red ribbon that rested there.

"Here –" Shinji murmured, but his hand was gently pushed away by Asuka.

"No. Keep it," Asuka grunted. Shinji raised a questioning eyebrow.

"It's…something to remind you I can't be there all the time to pull your ass out of the fire," Asuka said, slowly, and offered a small smile.

Shinji returned the smile, nodding and clasping the ribbon in his hand. "…Thanks."

Something out of the corner of Shinji's eye caught his attention, and he glanced towards the door. Misato peered into the room, before pushing the door aside and walking in. Shinji opened his mouth to greet her, but the person that followed Misato in had Shinji's words dying in his throat.

"_Sensei!"_ Shinji enthused, his smile widening. Gouken moved out from behind Misato, and knelt beside Shinji's bed. The boy reached out, and Gouken moved in, the two hugging as Misato and Asuka looked on.

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," Gouken murmured, before pulling back. "But I'm here to stay."

Shinji nodded, his eyes shining. He hesitated, before reaching out for another hug, which Gouken gladly provided. Behind them, Asuka rolled her eyes at the two of them, only for Misato to lightly smack her on the back of the head.

"Hey, what gives?" Asuka murmured.

"I seem to remember you getting all misty-eyed when we left the dojo," Misato replied, smirking.

"That –" Asuka's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "That's not – nevermind."

Shinji laughed quietly into the crook of Gouken's neck, secure in the knowledge that for now, everything was alright.


End file.
